


A Dalish Guide to the Tevinter Imperium

by WingsOfFire13



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: ALL THE RAINBOWS, ALL the tags, Adelin is an idiot, Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arguing, Boats and Ships, Canon Gay Character, Canon If You Ignore the DLCs, Canon Related, Canon-Typical Stereotypes, Canon-Typical Violence, Domestic Fluff, Dorian gets jealous, Eventual Happy Ending, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Go Away Trespasser, I Wrote This Before The DLCs Were Released And I'm Not Changing It Now, Isabela is an amazing friend, Isabela sets him straight, M/M, Non-Sexual Slavery, Ocean, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Canon, Post-Game(s), Post-Series, References to Unrelated Fandoms, Seasickness, Slavery, Tags Are Fun, Tevinter Culture and Customs, Tevinter Imperium, Tevinters, but it's okay he mostly gets fixed, heh not really they're hella gay, sort of domestic fluff, what even are tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-22
Updated: 2018-03-15
Packaged: 2018-04-22 21:55:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 30,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4851872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WingsOfFire13/pseuds/WingsOfFire13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So, now that I've finally actually outlined a fic for the first time, I think a real description of this is due:</p><p>Dorian receives yet another letter from Tevinter- but this one is different. Adelin and Dorian rush to Tevinter as quickly as they can, with several misadventures along the way- mostly due to Adelin being an idiot, but what else is new- they run into several familiar faces, and together face down the Tevinter Empire itself for the sake of all they hold dear.</p><p>Oh, and Fenris shows up to save Hawke's useless arse again.</p><p>Set after the events of Inquisition, ignores all DLCs, but not more than a year after Inquisition ends.</p><p>Previous summary:</p><p>Sort of AU where Dorian and Adelin go back to Tevinter and things go much differently than planned when Dorian's parents show up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. And So, It Began

“Dorian, I received another letter today.” The elf began as he swept into the room with his usual grace. Years of trying not to spook halla as they grazed had given him almost roguelike stealth. Well, at least when he wasn’t in combat. It’s hard to be sneaky when you’re a wielder of the storm.

“Just burn it, Amatus.” Dorian sighed, already summoning a small flame in his outstretched hand to burn the page with. He was sitting in a chair with his back to Adelin, reading a book.

“It’s not from your father.” The elf replied, the envelope held out towards the human with two fingers.

“Who else would be writing to me?” The olive-skinned man asked, crushing the flame in his hand and marking his page for later as he stood and turned to look at his soon-to-be husband.

“It’s a letter from someone named... Maevaris?” He read from the front

“Let me see that.” Dorian practically snatched the letter away, ripping the envelope away and scanning the paper quickly before letting giving a few confused blinks.

“Are you alright?”

“Mae. Apparently my mother was assassinated. She took a knife for my father.”

“I’m so sorry, Dorian.” Adelin softened quickly, pulling the shorter man tightly to his chest and running a comforting hand along his spine.

“I always thought she hated him. I guess I was wrong.” He half-chuckled. He didn’t seem nearly as shaken up as one who had just lost their family should be.

“...What did the rest of the letter say, Dorian?”

“My father is currently out of Tevinter. He told everyone he was hunting down the man who killed my mother himself. Apparently that leaves me to make funeral arrangements and get all of her business in order. I have to go back to Tevinter. As soon as possible.” He hid his face in the elf’s neck, relaxing into his arms as he often did when he was tired. Or when he had expended too much mana.

“Were you and your mother close?” Adelin asked, trying to keep the other mage talking. A silent Dorian was never a good thing. Unless they were kissing, but that was another story.

“No. To be honest she was never really around for anything other than to chastise me on my poor manners at parties. I do wish I could have let you meet her, though. The faces she made whenever I brought home a man she thought I might be sleeping with were truly hilarious.” Dorian smiled at the memory, squeezing his arms where they held the taller mage’s waist.

“So I don’t need to worry about bringing boxes of tissues with us for the road, I take it?” Adelin smiled playfully down at him, pulling back to look him in the eye.

“Who said you were coming with me?” Dorian retorted. He always got a twinkle in his eye whenever they had one of these banter-arguments. It was nice being able to find someone who might possibly be even more clever than he was.

“I did. Just now. Do try to keep up, love.” Soft pink lips curled up on one side in a knowing smirk. This battle of wills was already won and they both knew it.

“Adelin you are staying here.”

“No.”

 

“Adelin, stop. You are staying here.”

“I am not letting you go there on your own either. So either I come with you, or I send one of Josephine’s people in your place to get everything done.”

“You can’t do that.”

“Well, considering I saved the whole bloody world, I think I’m entitled to breaking a few rules every now and again.”

“You’re an arse.”

“That’s not how I remember you saying it last night.”

“Fasta vas! Someone might hear you!” Dorian whispered harshly, claping one hand over Adelin’s mouth.

“Really, Vhenan? We’re getting married in a few months. Do you honestly think people don’t know we’re sleeping together?” The elf chuckled as he pulled the human’s fingers away from his lips, then lightly pressed a kiss to the inside of his wrist.

“Oh, do shut up, I’m trying to win an argument.”

“Dorian, I am coming with you, if for no other reason than to ensure that you don’t keep finding reasons to push back our wedding plans.”

“You know I would never do that.”

“I do, but all those lovely followers of mine that still think you the serpent beneath the flower might not. Besides, I don’t trust anyone else to keep you safer than I can.”

“You are good at killing things…” Dorian nodded, staring up at the ceiling as if contemplating the ways in which he had watched this man lead him into battle.

“So then it’s settled. We can leave at the end of the week, if I tell Josie now?” The elf smiled.

“Yes, that works. Thank you, Amatus.”

The elf just smiled, pressed a quick kiss to the top of his lover’s dark head, then spun around and headed for Josephine’s office.


	2. Au Revoir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing: Isabela and the Siren's Call II. Oh, and Revas. She's important.

“Which one is our ship again?” Dorian asked, peering up into the face of a figurehead on the nearest boat.

“I thought you knew.” Adelin replied simply, both of their packs slung easily over his lithe shoulders.

“What?” Dorian asked, slight shock appearing on his features.

“Dorian, how many times have I been to this port?” Adelin droned teasingly.

“None, that I’m aware of.” Dorian huffed.

“And how many times have you been to this port?” The elf needled with a small grin.

“I’ve lost count.” Dorian admitted a bit sheepishly. Well. Sheepishly for Dorian. Which meant that he made a dismissive gesture with his hand and took longer, more important-looking strides. He had often come down here to find bits and pieces of home when he first came South- loving the small trinkets and bits of home that the sailors would occasionally throw his way or offer to sell him. After all, plenty of wine moves through these port cities...

“Excellent. So, why would I have any earthly idea where in this massive place we are supposed to be going?”

“Yes, yes. You’ve made your point.” Dorian waved him off and strode farther ahead- slightly shorter human legs stretching to take what was a no more than a long stride for the tall elf. Adelin gave a half-smile in response, chuckling under his breath as he continued following the human.

Luckily for them it was hard to miss the giant sails with the impaled eye of the Inquisition standing out stark red against emerald green canvas at the end of the dock.

Dorian turned around and gave Adelin another surprised look.

“Since when do we have naval vessels? Is this a trade ship or a war ship?”

“Knowing my advisors, it’s probably both.” He replied as he looked up the towering wall of floating wood. If he squinted, he could almost make it look like an Aravel to his mind’s eye.

There was a light pang in his chest, but he quickly brushed it away so that Dorian wouldn’t see it.

The ship was massive- a cargo hold big enough to house trebuchets and whatever other war machines Cullen might have need of was obvious in the curve of the ship’s fat sides. The top seemed like the lips of an over-filled coin purse, shining and new with a silvery sheen of sea salt on the light brown wood. The boat lurched lightly from side to side in the waves, but felt firm and reliable beneath Adelin’s boots.

“Ugh. I already feel seasick.” Dorian immediately complained when his foot touched the final rung of the gang plank.

“It’s alright love, just a few weeks. I’ll make some of the Elfroot tea to help.” The elf softened.

“Keep your eyes on the horizon line, it’ll help you get adjusted.” A woman whom Adelin assumed was the first mate added. She was Elven, with big brown eyes and curly short-cropped hair that was almost as dark as her skin.

“Andaran atishan- Welcome, Inquisitor and Lord Pavus. The name’s Revas, and I am to be your escort until such time as you dismiss me. You need anything, anything at all, I’m your girl.” She gave a low bow, the long daggers and fine sword at her waist making a strange sound as they brushed against the hard leather of her light armor. It was hard to tell exactly what form of combat she preferred, given her choice of weapons and attire.

“Ma serannas, Revas. I have a feeling we might need your help, what with everything that needs to be done at the Pavus estate.”

“Aye sir, and it’s my pleasure to be along for the ride. Welcome aboard the Siren’s Call II.” She gave a cat-like grin, bowing once more and excusing herself to go and speak with the captain.

“Well, shall we find our cabin then? By the way, whichever hammock is closest to the porthole is mine. I don’t want to rush across the entire ship every time my stomach revolts against me.”

Adelin laughed, taking another small bag from Dorian’s fingers and kissing him lightly on the cheek after he made sure no one was looking.

“How about I run these below deck, and you stay up here with the fresh air?”

“You’re too good to me, darling.”

“I know. But, you deserve it.” They grinned at each other, Dorian linking their pinkies in their custom I-want-to-be-affectionate-in-public-but-at-the-same-time-it-terrifies-me ‘hug’, and then the redhead was moving down the steps and into the belly of the ship with easy strides despite the hitching of the waves. Were waves always like this? Dorian recalled it being much rougher. This wasn't nearly as bad as his last trip...

A couple of crewmen were peering at Dorian from the bow of the ship and whispering, but Dorian was beyond used to that sort of reaction now. It stung a bit, but he didn’t have much time to dwell on it before the woman who absolutely had to be the captain of this ship swaggered on board.

She looked like a pirate if he ever saw one- dark skin, dark hair, an obvious love for shiny gold trinkets, and a lack of most of her clothing.

“Hello handsome, my name is Isabela. Welcome aboard.” She winked, obviously eyeing Dorian up and down.

Dorian was about to spit something about paying attention and hold out the engagement ring on his left hand to show that he was quite happily spoken for, now thank you very much stop undressing me with your eyes, but, luckily, Adelin emerged just then and quickly made his way over to his fiancee's side.

“Ah, you must be Captain Isabela. Hawke told me of you.”

“Oh, did he now? Did he happen to mention anything about the bag of sovereigns he owes me? No? Oh well. I take it then that you must be the Inquisitor, Ser Lavellan? So then this must be Ser Pavus, your betrothed?” Her eyes glittered at something that was no doubt absolutely filthy as she looked at the two of them.

“Your skills of deduction are truly impeccable.” Dorian grumbled, not at all liking the way this woman was ogling his lover.

“What was that?”

“Apologies, he gets testy when he feels seasick.” Adelin easily covered, sliding his arm around Dorian’s waist just to try and ease said testy mage’s insecurities. Dorian suddenly clung to him like a drowning man when the boat rolled particularly sharply with the waves- thudding into Adelin’s solid form. How did these waves not constantly knock everyone over?

“Hahaha! Don’t worry, I’m sure he’ll have his sea legs about him soon. Looks like we've finally set off then. Dinner should be ready around sun down, and you two are welcome to join me in my quarters for your meal. In the meantime, Revas can give you a tour of my ship. Anyone gives you trouble, let me know- I'll throw them overboard.” Isabela winked, leaving the two mages alone on deck once more.

Dorian pushed himself back up until he was able to balance again, releasing the elf self-consciously and straightening out his robes. The salt was already beginning to work its vile fingers into his hair and although he was loathe to go below deck, he knew at some point he would have to walk down those dreadful wooden steps and into the belly of the beast.

He let out a small sigh, walking forward and into the hull with Adelin close behind, and Revas trailing the two like a polite shadow just in case they wanted to take up the captain's offer for a tour.


	3. King of the World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yes I did watch Titanic before I wrote this. No I do not intend for the Siren's Call II to suffer the same fate as the Titanic... but that does give me a new idea :3
> 
> Also the capitalizations are intentional because Steven Universe references in completely unrelated fandoms make me happy.

Adelin looked up and out at the Lapis Lazuli blue sea, starring off to where it met with the softness of white wool clouds and Sapphire blue skies, a slightly different shade of blue where the scar in the sky lay healing. The sun was high overhead, but the elf’s pale skin was carefully hidden by a massive cloud. Adelin loved travel- he loved movement, loved the gentle sway of each wave trying vainly to pull the ship back to Thedas. They had been at sea for days now and still he couldn’t remember ever feeling so free and alive. The salt dusted Adelin’s hair and face with a faint sheen like pixie dust as the cloud at last allowed the sun to peek down at the  _ Siren’s Call II  _ and her crew. The smell of brine and vomit assaulting his nostrils as he continued to rub soothing circle into Dorian’s arms.

“I don’t think that tea is helping.” Dorian grimaced when at last he came back up for air and a half-hug from his betrothed. He gently turned the two of them so that they had their backs to the place where Dorian’s lunch had just vanished. Adelin held out a small cloth for the shorter mage to wipe his face with, then offered him one of the small candy chewing-treats that he always took with him when he traveled.

“No thank you. What do you even call that stuff, any how?”

Adelin flattened the piece of soft, rubbery candy against the top of his mouth, then pushed it down to blow a bubble out from between his lips- which grew until it was inevitably popped and got all over his nose and cheeks.

“Elder told me it was called ‘bubble rubber’. He said it came from mixing taffy-candy with a bit of magic to keep it from dissolving. Plus a dash of secret ingredient to make it a bit more fun.” He winked- which looked absolutely ridiculous with the giant layer of wrinkly popped gum covering his mouth and now dangling from the tip of his nose like a pancake. Adelin tried to get the gum back in his mouth without using his hands. Dorian rolled his eyes and stared at the horizon in an effort to keep himself from getting sick again.

The evidence of how well  _ that _ trick worked ended up overboard about five minutes later.

Revas walked over with another cup of tea shortly thereafter. Dorian still had his head hanging over the railing.

“So I take it that the herbs are not helping as they should?”

“I think that he just keeps throwing them up before they can take effect.” Adelin replied, now holding out the candy to her instead. His jaw was growing sore from working the chewy candy and he tossed it into the sea- watching as it melted apart in the water below now that his magic no longer held the sugar together. 

Revas waited until Dorian could stand upright again, handed him the tea cup with a polite nod of her head, and then moved to lean on the railing next to Adelin with her back to the sea, eyes on the taller elf as she spoke.

“Inquisitor-” She began, stopping when Adelin scrunched his nose up at the title. Revas giggled. “Ah, gotcha. You want it to be Ser Lavellan then?” Again the elf gave a wordless disapproval of the formality that she greeted him with; “I don’t mind if you call me Adahlen’anasal. It’s my clan given name.” he added with a small smirking grin.

Revas thought about it for a moment with her hand on her chin before deciding against it with a shake of her head.

“Too long. Names have to be short and quick out here. Never know when ya need to yell for someone to hit the deck, ya know? I’ll think of something later. Right now, I’m taking you two on a tour.”

Adelin gave a confused look to Revas and then turned to catch Dorian as another rogue wave sent his balance off once again.

“Now may not be the best time for Dorian to be inside the ship. Or anywhere away from a railing, really.”

“If we go now I can take you both up to the crow’s nest before the next shift. You can see for miles from up there.” 

“What’s a crow’s nest? Does Isabela keep birds here like Leliana?” Adelin blinked, releasing his lover so that the other man could dry heave over the rail. He kept rubbing gently at his back as he spoke with the other elf.

Revas laughed, high and girly, eyes smiling as she looked up at the red head.

“No love, Izzie doesn’t keep birds on board. The crow’s nest is that thing that looks like a bucket, waaaay up there- you see?” She asked, moving closer to him so that he could follow the line drawn by her long, dark fingers. Adelin’s face lit up at the sight of the basket perched at the top of the ship.

“You mean I’m actually allowed to climb that high? Really?” He asked excitedly, turning back to her with golden eyes wide at the very thought. He’d only been that high up when he climbed those tall green-needle trees, but those always grew so close together you couldn't see very far. It was fun to run from branch to branch, though. He couldn’t imagine the view from so high up- especially in such an open space. He wondered if he would be able to see land or a storm or birds in the distance- maybe even other ships. Or all of the above?

Dorian wiped his face with the cloth once more and joined the conversation with a chuckle.

“I see you’ve already discovered his weakness for high places. I’m afraid they’re not quite my cup of tea, but the two of you are more than welcome to explore your cat-like urges.” The Tevinter smiled. He had initially gotten off on the wrong foot with Revas, but once he noticed that she flirted with  _ every _ elf on the ship (plus Isabela), his dislike of her had... lessened somewhat. He was still slightly wary of Captain Isabela.

“Cat-like?” Revas questioned, looking around Adelin at the human.

“Dorian is convinced that all elves are secretly cats.”

“Is he now?” She raised one eyebrow.

“Yes.” He chuckled; “His main point of argument is our seemingly collective love of fish chews. Then he’ll usually go into how we enjoy living in the woods or being in high places, getting distracted by birds, -one time I followed this weird red pinpoint of light that our friend Sera was shining around the room...”

“...Alright he may have a point with that first one, not sure if those last few are true of all elves or not.”

Adelin and Dorian both laughed, Dorian gulping fresh air while he still could. Just because there was nothing left in his stomach didn’t mean his stomach knew that, apparently. 

When at last they all stopped laughing, Revas decided to try just once more;

“Ser- ...Addie, are you sure there’s no way I can convince you to climb up with me?”

“I’m afraid not. Much as I’d love to, I’m loathe to leave my beloved’s side.” Adelin replied with just a touch of dramatics and an arm wrapped around Dorian’s hips. Dorian bristled slightly at her use of  _ his  _ nickname. Although, come to think of it he had also come up with “Adelin” too, but that was the name he went by almost all the time now and it had never bothered him to hear others use the name...

“Actually, why don’t you go on ahead? Now that my stomach is empty I think I might attempt to sneak a nap into my busy schedule.” Dorian replied, eager to rest and to get the ginger to stop worrying about him. Adelin tried to be polite and feign surprise at this response, asking “Are you sure?” and “Well, if you insist love.” which, of course, Dorian  _ did _ then insist- he might not actually sleep during his nap but just because he was going to be miserable through this whole trip didn’t mean that he had to put Adelin into the same boat- well, figuratively anyway.

Dorian made his way down below deck with the fond smile of someone who had just been snogged pleasantly senseless. Once down below however, his mind drifted to the way that Adelin and Revas had looked at each other- Dorian was well aware of the fact that Adelin was well and truly in love with him- after all, they were to be married quite soon, if he recalled correctly- but still… he couldn’t help but wonder about his lover’s past. As far as he knew, being the First of his clan Adelin had been nearly forced into marrying an elvish woman. But Adelin had never spoken about his past experiences with women or men, beyond him briefly whispering into his ear that Dorian was the most beautiful man he had ever seen, heart mind and soul. (Honestly, he needed to take that book of poetry that Cassandra had given him away…) After that first encounter in which Adelin had gotten adorably nervous and red and said that they were moving too quickly for him, Dorian hadn’t thought to ask the other about his sexuality. It wasn’t like it was a common topic between the two of them. He finally shook his head, trying to rid himself of these thoughts, and tried to settle down for a short nap.

~~~~~ 

The next time Dorian woke up, he was relieved that he was waking up without the overwhelming need to run up on deck. Instead, he took his time, occasionally knocking into the wall as the waves lulled the ship towards sleep. Not paying attention, the Necromancer ambled easily to the bow of the ship, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths.

It was at this exact moment that a familiar pair of hands laced themselves together over Dorian’s midsection, and a slightly cold nose nuzzled at the back of his ear. 

“Relax, Dorian. Everyone is asleep except for us and Revas. And she can’t even see us, she’s up in the crow’s nest watching the horizon.”

Dorina hadn’t even realized he was tense until Adelin pointed it out. It was just habit at this point, but the longer he had Adelin the better he was with public affection… Although he would have to teach Adelin more about keeping his guard up once they returned to Tevinter.

But that could wait until later. Right now, there was a strikingly handsome, impossibly powerful, amazingly talented elf at his back and it took everything in him not to melt into his lover’s back.

Well, except that now he had to vomit again.

“Ugh. I hate the bloody sea. What’s the point of it, anyway? Why would the Maker create such a Blighted place to begin with?” Dorian grumbled as he tried to fix his hair.

  
  


“...Vehenan, come here.” Adelin said softly, his left hand on the railing at the pointed bow of the ship and his right hand reaching to pull Dorian closer. Not sure what the strange elf was up to now, Dorian took his hand and moved where Adelin guided him.

“Step up onto the bottom railing, love.”

“What? No, I’ll fall! I can hardly keep my balance when there’s ample wood beneath my feet, I-”

“Trust me, emma lath. I’m showing you  _ exactly _ why the Maker created this place.” Adelin smiled gently.

Dorian hesitated, but nodded- climbing up the extra foot with his eyes clenched tightly shut to keep his seasickness at bay. He was gripping the remaining railing of the ship in a vice grip until he felt Adelin’s long fingers take a firm hold on his hips.

“Dorian, it’s alright- open your eyes.” Adelin chuckled, his chin resting comfortably on Dorian’s shoulder. They were nearly the same height now.

The Tevinter at last obeyed the elf’s request and gasped at what he saw- The sun was just being replaced by the moon when Dorian’s eyes at last fully opened, standing higher than he had since boarding the ship It was beautiful, the way everything reflected off the water. The sun shone like the bronze at Haven’s Chantry once had, surreal in a magic all it’s own. And just like that, it vanished- and Dorian gasped again at the sight before him. It looked like the ship was cutting a path through the stars themselves- he released one hand from the ship’s railing to trace out the constellations reflecting off of the smooth water, slowly working his way up into a full-body laugh as he felt Adelin’s smile press into his neck, releasing the railing completely and relying on Adelin to keep him from falling while he spread both arms out like a pair of wings.

“I take it all back- this is… this is incredible. I feel like I’m King of the World!”

“I knew you’d love this. This is what I grew up with- well, minus all the water, but… This is what it feels like, traveling in an Aravel. Well, sort of, not really but…”

“Shh. You don’t have to explain. Thank you, amatus. I’m dumbfounded.”

“Is that a good thing?” Adelin asked, not knowing the meaning of the new word.

“Hahaha- yes, it’s a  _ very _ good thing, Addie. It’s one of the best things in the world when I’m with you.” The two smiled and exchanged a quick kiss, before the chill of the night air finally forced them to seek the warmth of the ship’s innards at last.


	4. Wait, Cats Can Fly?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adelin was bored and goes off to have some adventures with Revas.

Dorian groaned, rolled over, and refused to open his eyes. He had discovered that by not eating large meals and keeping his eyes closed for about half an hour after waking he could avoid the need to rush through the sleeping quarters to puke with a reasonable amount of reliability.

 

They had been at sea for approximately two weeks now- nearly halfway to Tevinter, if all went according to plan. Revas had informed the two of them earlier that day that they should reach a port by mid morning tomorrow to trade some cargo they had in their hull- this was a ship of many uses, after all. Dorian could care less about  _ why _ they were stopping, just so long as he was able to sleep in a bed that wasn’t swinging back and forth all night long. 

 

Hang what everyone else said- hammocks were  _ not _ making this journey any easier than it would be if Dorian had been given a real bed. Plus, there was the added disadvantage of not being able to curl up with Adelin at night. Maybe he could talk to someone about having even a small cot brought aboard for him…

 

“Doooorian~” A voice crooned at him, fingers gently brushing against the back of his neck. He rolled over, a smile on his face as he turned towards the sunlit porthole where said voice was coming from. Eyes still closed and confused as to why a window was calling his name, Dorian threw one arm over his eyes to try and block the pervasive light.

 

“Dorian, look at me!” The voice called again, this time with a shadow coming over the lip of the open window and poking him on the arm with a long, pale finger.

 

Dorian’s eyes flashed open and he stared in relative horror at Adelin- who was hovering outside his window as if it were perfectly normal. With a small yelp as he leaned forward and lost his balance he tumbled to the floor, jumping back up when he heard the elf snickering outside the opening.

 

“What in Maker’s name are you  _ doing _ Adelin?!”

 

The elf shrugged; “You were asleep and I was bored so Revas and I decided to have a bit of fun.”

 

“Oi, are you done down there yet? You’re not exactly easy to lift!” Revas’ voice drifted down from above.

 

“Just a moment!” Adelin called up, reaching one arm inside to pull Dorian closer for a quick peck on the nose.

 

“Alright, hoist away!” The elf laughed, smiling at the shocked expression on Dorian’s face as he watched his soon-to-be husband be pulled up by some kind of intricate rope harness around his hips and thighs.

 

Dorian shook his head at the two, who he could hear clearly cackling on the deck above him. With a huff he shut and bolted the window, then got back in his hammock to grump. It wasn’t like it was  _ his _ fault that he was seasick for nearly the whole journey so far. And despite the urge to do so Dorian couldn’t really blame Adelin for looking for someone to pass the time with. 

 

Actually he was glad that the elf seemed to have made a friend with another of his kind- Maker knows what most of the Dalish thought of him after he announced his intent to marry Dorian. Those who had been his true friends had supported the elf, but… Well, the Dalish were a dying race, after all. It wasn’t so much the fact that Adelin liked men that had appalled them so much as that he had chosen a “‘shem” to spend his life with. Which, to be honest, had stung a bit. But if there was one thing Dorian was good at it was sulking and licking his wounds when no one was around.

 

~~~~~

 

The sun was high overhead by the time Dorian emerged- he hadn’t even bothered with gelling his hair today, but he had brushed as much of it as he was able to straight back. He was definitely in need of a trim, he thought, as one stubborn lock came free and tickled the bridge of his nose.

 

A familiar hand brushed across his shoulder as he walked.

 

“Adelin-?” He turned, then turned the other way, but the elf was nowhere in sight.

 

“Oh, this is going to become annoying  _ very _ quickly.” Dorian half-growled under his breath as his head snapped up, and he watched the unmistakable shock of red hair and forest-colored robes go sailing past, suspended by a rope that hung from one of the higher points on the ship’s main mast.

 

Adelin, with the way the rope was swinging, seemed like he was trying to fly from one of the beams of wood that suspended the sails to the opposing side. Despite the heart attack that Dorian was currently having, he honestly thought in the back of his head that he had seen few things more magnificent in his lifetime. Especially when the elf landed lightly on his feet, dropped the rope, grabbed a different one and climbed even higher on the mainmast, so that he was now on the second of the three sails- 

 

“Already climbing the main topsail yard? I’m impressed. Your lover is either a madman or an idiot.” The captain gave a whistle to catch Adelin’s attention, giving him an encouraging wave when he reached the ‘yard’ as it was apparently called.

 

“Yes, well, there is a very fine line between the two, you know.”

 

Isabela laughed, crossing her arms and turning her head to look at Dorian, who had yet to take his eyes off of Adelin.

 

“Relax, Revas will take good care of him. She’s done some work as a rigger in the past. Why don’t you and I have some fun, play some Wicked Grace?”

 

“Thank you, but I’m fine right here.”

 

“How about a bite then? You must be hungry.” She tried again. Something about her told Dorian she wouldn't take no for an answer.

 

“Thank you for the offer, but I think I would rathe-” His sentence stopped when Adelin’s footing slipped and he fell for a few brief moments before a black blur that must have been Revas came swooping by and easily caught him up in both of her arms, legs and waist easily secured by a rope harness.

 

“See? He’ll be fine. She’s one of the best sea women I’ve ever met- She might even be able to give me a run for my money some day. And trust me, I’ve got a lot of money.”

 

Dorian didn’t reply for a few minutes, watching as the two elves easily landed on their stupidly cat-like feet, laughing and smiling and Adelin hugging the shorter woman in thanks.

 

The burn in his chest distracted him until his stomach grumbled, bringing him at last back to the present. Isabela was giving him a pitiful, patient look.

  
With one last glance up at Revas, who now appeared to be teaching Adelin how to tie a knot in the harness that would let him fly around  _ upside down through the blighted air _ and for the sake of his health Dorian tore his gaze away. He turned to Isabela with a huff, not caring whether or not Adelin could see him, he wound one of his own arms around Isabela’s shapely waist, smiling when she took the hint and wrapped her own arm around him, and began a flirtatious little babble-banter between the two of them as the piratess led him down to her chambers for Wicked Grace, wine, and perhaps some food he wouldn’t vomit up if he was lucky.


	5. The Friendship of a Pirate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dorian and Isabela get a little bonding time while Adelin and Revas work on their flying routine.

“Here, chew on this a bit before you try to eat anything.”

 

“What is it?” The mage asked, pinching the pointed leaf between his fingers to get a better sense of how it smelled.

 

“Spearmint. It’s the most reliable cure I’ve found to seasickness. Revas has been giving your giner tea, yes? This should work better. Eat a few leaves before you enjoy your next meal and you’ll find that it is much more likely to stay in your stomach.” Isabela explained, handing Dorian a drink to help him wash down the tickly leaves and then handing him a small pouch with a few more inside it.

 

“Thank you, I suppose we’ll just have to see how well it works.” Adelin swung low on a rope just outside the wall-to-wall windows that made up one side of Isabela’s quarters. “You wouldn’t happen to have any Aggregio on hand, would you?”

 

“I’ll see what I can find. I believe I have a bottle of Butterbile in that case behind you, if that suits your fancy.” Isabela replied easily, slipping into a comfortable and elegant chair covered in fine furs and the sense that it had belonged to someone of royal blood. She reclined with her entire body askew to how any normal person would sit in such a refined chair, crossing her legs so that they draped over the armrest.

 

Dorian found her cabinet- which was filled with a  _ vast _ selection of liquors and spirits- some of which even  _ he _ was afraid to drink.

 

“You’re welcome to anything in there except for the Carnal- I’m saving that one for a couple of old friends.” She smiled flirtatiously- though Dorian was beginning to suspect that that was just her normal smile.

 

Dorian finally picked a bottle and a pair of glasses and sat down in a massive pile of pillows near his hostess. He settled the bottle with the label facing the pirate queen.

 

“Sun Blonde Vint? Has it truly been that sort of day for you?” She asked, eyeing the strong liquor.

 

“Well, I believe it’s an acceptable time of day to drink oneself into a stupor, is it not?” Dorian replied easily and probably with just a touch too much of bitterness.

 

Isabela sat up and put away the shot glasses Dorian had pulled out in favor of a pair of massive bejewelled goblets that were hiding in another cabinet closer to her. She then filled each massive glass nearly to the brim with the liquid, raising a silent toast before they each took a sip.

 

Dorian already liked her. She was the sort that wasn’t going to judge him for anything he said or did while he was drunk, and that was exactly what he needed right now. She might even have the courtesy to avoid the topic -or person- who was currently bothering him and his damnable little heart.

 

“So I take it that you and I won’t be telling the Inquisitor what kind of effect his little display had on you then? I’d be more than happy to have a word with Revas if you’d-”

 

Well, so much for that.

 

“No! No. I mean- I’ve been sicking up nearly every day for the past two weeks. It’s only natural he’d get bored playing nurse to me. He can be a bit scatter brained at times. Likes to wander about, never stays still for too long, prone to chasing flashy objects- you know, the usual cattish tendencies.” Dorian started, but recovered quickly. Isabela shrugged and took another sip from her chalice.

 

“Fine then. It’s your call, but let me give you a bit of advice- if you see someone stealing what’s yours, stop them before they hop off at the next port with it and leave you forever. Understand what I’m saying?”

 

“I think so, yes. Do you happen to have a chess set? I’m simply itching to play a game.”

 

“Afraid not, but I do have some cards for Wicked Grace and some crewmen who are in need of reminding how things work around here. Sound tempting?”

 

“Oh, I like you, Captain Isabela. I think we’ll get along famously. Although I do have one thing I should mention first-”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Your men will be sadly penniless by the time I’m done with them.”

 

“And by the time I’m done with you, I’ll have a dragon’s helping of gold!” She laughed, taking her glass and the bottle and heading for the door.

 

“Grab that deck of cards under the table there, we’ll play up in the galley until dinner time.” She said over her shoulder, not waiting to see if the Tevinter followed her.

 

~~~~~

 

Hours after the last drops of the Sun Blonde Vint had vanished and the crewmen had grumbled their way back to their cabins after being bested by both Isabela and Dorian, the two aforementioned brunettes stumbled back to the captain’s quarters.

 

Supporting each other as they walked, Dorian giggled uproariously every time either of them bumped into a wall. 

 

Finally, with a smile cracking his face nearly in two, Dorian sat down in the fine seat that Isabela had occupied last time they were here, while the pirate queen sprawled clumsily across the lush bed on the other side of the room. She rolled over and laughed up at the ceiling.

 

“That’s the most fun I’ve had in years! How do you do that? I know you cheated- was it magic?”

 

“A good magician never reveals his secrets I’m afraid.”

 

“Shame, I could make good coin with that.”

 

“You’re not even a mage!”

 

“I’m not? Oh, you’re right! I’d forgotten!” She giggled. “Must have been thinking about Anders again. The things that man can do with electricity…”

 

“You’ll have to introduce him to Adelin sometime. He’s got a few… ‘shocking’ tricks himself!”

 

The two cackled, thick as thieves already.

 

Dorian sat up enough to look over at Isabela, and immediately got a pouty, grumpy look cross his features.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“You’ve got a real bed, and I’ve been sleeping in a Blighted  _ hammock  _ for  _ two weeks _ . Why can’t I have a real bed?”

 

“I’ll send a bird to Leliana about that for your trip back. In the meantime, you’re more than welcome to use my bed for… whatever it is you need it for. Can’t be worse than what I’ve done in it.”

 

“ _ *gasp*  _ Really?! You’d let me and Adelin cuddle?! You’re so sweet! I knew it, you and- we’re friends now. We’ll be best friends before this journey is over, I guarantee it!”

 

“...”

 

“...”

 

“...”

 

“How drunk  _ are _ you, exactly?”

 

“Very. I'll probably have to get Adelin to do a bit of healing magic tomorrow so I can go out and enjoy the port before we leave.” Dorian grinned, another laugh threatening to bubble up.

 

“Quite. Perhaps you should sleep in a real bed tonight?” She asked; “You’re definitely going to have a hangover tomorrow. Might as well get through it someplace comfortable.” She added, motioning to the other side of the massive bed. It was definitely big enough for whatever ‘activities’ Isabela had planned in her future. And probably with more than enough room for five or six grown adults as well.

 

“No, thank you, I should really find out where Adelin went-”

 

There was an exhilarated ‘WOOHOO!!” and an impossibly loud laugh outside the window, followed by two figures who were tied together at the hips and legs flying past the back window in an ever-increasing arc as more rope was released.

 

Dorian frowned, standing and throwing himself on the far side of the bed. He shrugged off some of the buckles that were for decoration on his outfit, and was sleeping peacefully within a few minutes.

 

Isabela frowned, knowing that with the way these two were acting something would go wrong- these were two of the most powerful men in Thedas, both in the political and magical sense of the word, and Maker knew what was going to happen if they had a domestic on her ship…

  
But that was for another day. Right now sleeping seemed much more appealing.


	6. Cats Always Land On Their Feet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I think the title is pretty much says it all

Three light knocks on the door and a searing amount of sunshine brought Dorian painfully into the waking world. This was not the worst hangover he had ever had, but it would definitely be at least slightly annoying for a few more hours.

 

“Cap’n, we’re nearly ready to dock.”

 

_“Captain? I’m no captain-”_

 

“Mm? Ah, yes. Thank you, Revas. I’ll be up in a bit. You’re in charge until you hear otherwise from me.”

 

_“Ah, yes. I slept- er, stayed with Isabela last night. Fuck my head hurts.”_

 

“Aye, Cap’. Anything else?”

 

“No, that’ll be-”

 

“...Wher’s Addie?” Dorian mumbled, sitting up and finally taking in his surroundings. To his credit, he didn’t immediately curse at the sun when his eyes did finally open. Revas stood in the doorway, hand still on the doorjamb. Isabela was standing in front of a mirror, apparently undoing the braids that she had put her hair into before she went to sleep. Glancing at his own reflection from where he was still fighting his way up to sitting, Dorian tweaked his moustache and ran a hand through his now thoroughly mussed hair. He dreaded to think of what it would look like now if he had actually used product- right now he just looked a bit bed rumpled. Nothing that couldn’t be fixed back in his own quarters.

 

“Last I left him he was looking for you, ser. Shall I let him know you’re here, or…?”

 

“No, thank you. You’ve got important ship business to attend to. I’ll go find him in a moment... He’s not climbing about still, is he?”

 

“No ser, not to my knowledge. I asked him not to climb unless I was there to catch him.”

 

Dorian pursed his lips and gave a curt nod, brushing off whatever remains of a hangover he had for the moment in favor of getting back to his own mirror and fixing the mess that his moustache had turned into.

 

~~~~~

 

Having freshened up and changed into a new set of clothes- one with far fewer buckles, dancing with shades of blue and teal-green and a wide collar to show off his broad shoulders, perfect for a day in a port town- Dorian waltzed onto the main deck, and was just in time to watch as the crewmen prepared the ship to dock.

 

“Dorian!” Adelin’s voice yelled from somewhere above him, and a quick glance upwards confirmed that the elf was indeed exploring his feline ways among the ropes and wooden beams of the ship. He couldn’t see Revas, but he had no doubt that she must be somewhere up there with the ginger elf. He waved and smiled, but gave no verbal response.

 

Not wanting to be in the way of the sailors as they bustled about, some laden down with what looked like several pounds of rope and/or crates, Dorian decided it might be best to simply get out of the way and stand on what Isabela had informed him was called the “poop deck”, as there were fewer sails near the stern of the ship and fewer crates.

 

It truly was amazing how fast the wind was pulling the boat into the harbor- the wake wasn’t as large as it was out in the open sea any more, but it was still large enough that Dorian could hear it clearly as the ship cut a swathe through the water.

 

“Jacobs, I want those sails drawn up _NOW,_ you tit!” He smiled slightly as he heard Isabela yelling at one of her crewmen. Poor boy must not have been moving fast enough for her.

 

“Ah, ser Dorian! Have you seen Addie? Last I heard he was still looking for you.” Revas asked, joining him in leaning against the farmost railing at the back of the ship.

 

“Yes, I did. He waved to me when I came up a few moments ago. Weren’t you with him?” The mage asked with a confused expression.

 

It was now Revas’ turn to look confused and a bit worried.

 

“No ser, I was not. Do you mean to say he was climbing?”

 

“Charles, get ready! This _may_ not be the Siren’s _smoothest_ entrance.” Isabela warned in the background, but neither of the pair was really listening. Every loud noise and sudden movement seemed to be trying to bring Dorian’s hangover to his attention. He soundly ignored it.

 

“Revas! Look! I think I’ve got it this time!”

 

Both of them shot wide eyes up to the one sail that remained unfurled and in full access of the wind- the spanker sail, the lowest-hanging piece of canvas suspended just over where Revas and Dorian watched in horror as several things happen at once-

 

One, Adelin untied the rope in his hand and disconnected himself from the safety harness around his legs.

 

Two, Isabela shouted something about not scratching her hull and buoys, right as the ship give a single, firm _thud_ into the dock.

 

Third, Adelin lost his footing- apparently he was going to jump or try and slide down the sail somehow or some other Maker forsaken foolishness that he must have read in one of Varric’s tales or something of the sort.

 

It was only after these three things finished taking place that Dorian was able to react, and all too slowly. He cast a barrier moments before Adelin slammed into the unforgiving wooden deck, but the barrier couldn’t protect him from a good twenty foot drop. No, it probably kept all of his bones where they should be- _probably-_ but then there was the small matter of Adelin’s yelp as his head made contact with the floorboards, the way he couldn’t get his breath back into his lungs when Dorian finally, _finally_ , was able to move his arms and legs at a normal speed again and found himself miraculously at the elf’s side, cradling him in his lap and checking for other injuries seemingly out of routine and impulse at this point. Maker, this man would be the death of him, one way or another it would seem.

 

Revas seemed to be doing her own inspection of the Inquisitor, checking his arms and legs where Dorian couldn’t reach and mercilessly cutting away the rope harness that should have stopped or at least slowed this fall as if it had personally offended her. Adelin was barely conscious and breathing in choking gasps, but at least he was breathing. Isabela stopped by and Revas spoke to her briefly, but Dorian was too wrapped up in trying to help Adelin calm down so that he could get some air back into his lungs.

 

It was terrifying. Adelin scrabbled at the wooden floorboards, at Dorian’s arms, his knees, finally settling on spasming about with each wracked breath drawn into his body but gripping Dorian’s hand as if it were a lifeline. Each and every coughing inhale and wheezing exhale brought a fresh flash of pain to the elf’s golden eyes- but no one saw that except for him. The foolish redhead kept trying to force sounds out, trying to speak, but Dorian shushed him and told him to just focus on breathing, there would be time to talk later.

 

Isabela kept barking orders as if nothing was happening, leaving just the four of them on the raised deck, the crew blissfully unaware that the Inquisitor was, indeed, mortal.

 

Dorian was aware that there was a constant stream of _something_ coming out of his mouth- he had no idea what, but there were bits of Arcanum, plenty of Common, a few words in Orlesian he had picked up that were sort of an inside joke between the two of them, and whatever Elvish he had managed to grasp from conversations between Adelin and Solas and his own personal studies into the language.

 

He made small, soft noises when he ran out of words and just held the man as if he were the most precious porcelain doll in all the world- because for one moment, he was. He was fragile and helpless and Dorian couldn’t help him. Dorian used soft heating spells to try and help relax Adelin’s contracting muscles.

 

It could have been minutes or it could have been years, but at last Adelin took a breath that only hitched slightly, and that finally let his eyes begin to droop in relative peace. Dorian brushed the sweat off of his lover’s brow and smiled down at him.

 

“We should just let him rest. I’m sure Isabela wouldn’t mind letting you use her bed again. Here, I’ll-” Revas began as she stood.

 

Adelin caught her wrist before she could go, looking up at Dorian with a pleading look and curling his long frame around the human more. Like he was afraid he would be swept away from him. Dorian squeezed his betrothed’s hand, gently petting the vibrant wine red colored hair that was shorn so close to his scalp.

 

“I don’t think he wants to move. He wants to stay with me.”

 

Revas huffed; “We at least need to get him into some shade. You’ll both get sunburnt. Can you two move over ‘ere a ways?”

 

She begged and bargained, until finally Adelin nodded in understanding and Dorian scooped him up in his arms, the elf’s long legs dangling comically in the air. He followed a tittering Revas to… some kind of little alcove, or a tiny room or something- honestly he didn’t care, he had yet to take his eyes off of Adelin. She brought them some water and the blanket from Adelin’s hammock, and then was called away by Isabela with a look of regret and worry sketched into her face.

 

Dorian had a small voice in the back of his head telling him that she deserved to feel a bit guilty, she was the one who had encouraged Addie to commit this idiocy, after all… but once Adelin had wrapped both of his arms around Dorian’s waist and curled up into what Dorian could easily recognise as his favorite napping position, he gave her what he hoped was a forgiving and comforting smile while he continued to card his fingers through the elf’s hair and whisper beautiful, blissful little nothings until he too was lulled to sleep by the sun and the surf.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What? it's been a long day and I needed some good, old-fashioned angst and a touch of fluff to make it better. Don't judge me. Okay maybe judge me a little I like critiques- they usually keep me writing for a few more chapters, hence the reason I've suddenly published three chapters in three days and I'm almost done with the fourth?
> 
> Yeah I'm gunna take a nap now my eyes are tired. Enjoy!


	7. Not The Sharpest Fox In The Shed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adelin figures out he's been an idiot and a jerk to Dorian

When Adelin took his first breath that didn’t shudder, didn’t send him into a fit of coughing or make his ribs feel like they would implode on top of his lungs, he found that he had dozed off, and that he was not in the same place he had been in when he fell. He was wrapped around Dorian, their legs twined together and his head resting on the other man’s chest. 

 

Dorian looked so peaceful when he was asleep. And incredibly sexy when he left his hair like that. Adelin watched him for a moment before he realized that Dorian was laying down on a hardwood floor and that his back was probably going to be killing him  _ all day,  _ and as appealing as the sound of Dorian’s voice was, listening to him gripe and groan could be tiresome.

 

“Vhenan~” He purred, coughed, and pushed himself up so that when Dorian inevitably shot upright they wouldn’t slam their heads together.

 

Right on cue, Dorian groaned loudly and bolted upright, hands rubbing circles in his back until Adelin’s fingers took over and he simply slouched forward.

 

“Oh sorry, am I interrupting?” Captain Isabela smirked as she leaned against the doorway of…

 

“Are we in a broom closet?” 

 

“Nothing gets past him, I see. You’ve got yourself quite a catch there, Dorian.” She teased, as if she and Dorian were old friends, though the insults were more slung towards Adelin himself.

 

Rather than defending him, Dorian gave a low chuckle and looked up at the woman.

 

_ “What? When did these two get so close?” _

 

“Yes, he is. Quite fortunate that I happened to drop in at the right time, wouldn’t you say?” Dorian smiled and moved his hand to rest on top of Adelin’s with a small smile.

 

Adelin grinned back; “You never could resist playing hero, could you?”

 

“I’m sorry?” Isabela perked up with a confused expression.

 

“I’ll give you all the gory details later, love. Adelin, how do you feel?”

 

“ _ Love?!?  _ ...A bit bruised, but fine. Why?”

 

“I was hopeful that you and I might get a chance to explore the port a bit. We were docking when you fell, remember?”

 

“There’s no rush to get out and about, Dorian. I just got a bird informing me that we’ll be taking some cargo with us to Tevinter for Leliana, but it won’t be here for another day or two. I’ve given the crew shore leave for now. That’s actually what I was going to tell you when I came down here- since Revas is still technically a member of my crew for now, I released her as well. I didn’t think you would mind.”

 

Adelin frowned- he had hoped that Revas might be able to take he and Dorian to some of the more fun places in the area. She was a sweet girl, and she appeared to have an endless amount of experience in every subject that he had been able to think of, quizzing her while she taught him proper climbing techniques and how to tie a rope harness for his hips.

 

“Nope, no problems here. Thank you. Do you happen to know the name of a good inn? I don’t think I could stand to be on this ship for another moment.” Dorian laughed at the offended look on Isabela’s face.

 

“Relax ‘bela. It’s nothing to do with the Siren herself- it’s just that she’s so big, and when the water hits her-”

 

Isabela laughed loudly and offered the two men her hands to help them stand up.

 

“I like big boats, I cannot lie.” She finished, sending both she and Dorian into another fit of laughter. Adelin laughed along more quietly and brushed off his robes.

 

“Oh, and as for an inn- this is a small port, but I think the Blooming Lily might suit the two of you nicely~” She winked. Adelin blushed a bit and shuffled his feet. He wasn’t quite yet comfortable with this stranger talking about his sex life.

 

“Come now Isabela, you know what kind of inn I was talking about. One for  _ sleeping. _ As in the  _ literal meaning of the word. _ And no, you couldn’t watch even if we  _ were _ looking for the other kind of inn.”

 

“Oh, you’re no fun. Fine then- look for the Cracked Star. They’ve decent prices, good beds, and they serve food and drink as well. I’d stay away from the baths if I were you, though. Free Marchers tend to be a bit on the filthy side. I’ll see if I can’t find out if there’s a hot spring or something of the sort nearby if you’d like me to.”

 

“If there is, please let me know as soon as possible- that hot water would be wonderful for whatever bruises you have, right Addie?” The mage asked as he turned to the silent elf. Adelin nodded and gave what he hoped was not a forced smile. He must have fooled Dorian because the two brunettes continued to idly chatter while they made their way up on deck and then off of the ship, only parting when the trio had passed out of the busy port and stood before the Cracked Star.

 

“I’ll leave you two be then. Oh, and Inqui- er, uh, Ser, perhaps you should wear your hood up? If someone recognises you, it might be a bit difficult for you to enjoy your little honeymoon.”

 

“What’s a honeymoon?”

 

Isabela gasped in shock and covered her mouth with her hands.

 

“Dorian!”

 

“What? I’m getting to it!”

 

“I’m confused?”

 

“I’ll explain later Adelin.”

 

“You’d better, or else  _ I  _ will when you get back to the ship!”

 

“Dorian, what is she on about?”

 

Dorian facepalmed; “Don’t worry about it. just wait here while I go inside and see if they have a room for us. And she’s right, you should at least cover your ears. There could be slave hunters here for all we know.” He finished, and then, almost as an afterthought, pulling the thin green hood up over the elf’s head. He leaned forward like he was about to peck Adelin on the nose, but seemed to think better of it and simply let their pinkies have just the barest of touches as he always did in public before brushing past him.

 

Isabela was silent until the door closed behind Dorian, but as soon as the wood smacked shut she erupted on the elf.

 

“Look here  _ boy _ , you had better treat Dorian  _ right. _ He deserves a man who will stay by his side through everything-  _ everything _ \- and from what I’ve seen, I’m not so sure you can satisfy his needs. Trust me  _ sweetheart _ , I know more than a few men who would be  _ more _ than happy to take care of him for you. So shape up, or I’m shipping out without you. You’ve got two or three days to make it up to him, so make it count.” And with that, she stormed off into the crowd.

 

Adelin blinked, completely dumbstruck. What had just happened? Why was she so angry at him? What was she talking about, shipping out without him and ‘making it up to Dorian’? Had he been…? Did Dorian think that he was cheating on him or something?

 

Dorian placed a hand on the elf’s shoulder, startling him out of his thoughts as the redhead turned to look at the Tevinter.

 

“Are you alright Addie?” He asked with his head cocked to the side.

 

Adelin nodded, but didn’t speak, sort of staring at Dorian’s shoulder, not meeting his eyes. He was still trying to figure out what exactly he had done wrong- Dorian seemed fine but if Isabela was willing to risk treating  _ him  _ like  _ that…  _

 

“...Well then, they have a room for us upstairs. Not much of a view but at least it has a real bed! Shall we?”

 

Adelin nodded hollowly at first, then blinked as his mind caught up with current events at last and gave Dorian a suggestive wink. Dorian rolled his eyes and helped the taller man through the doorway, into the explosion of sound and booze that was the Cracked Star.

 

Green was probably the best way to describe the place. Everything was shimmery, shiny green with bits of gold embellishment and then chips of brown where the wood beneath the paint bled through. Any patron that happened to be wearing green almost seemed to blend into the place- Adelin included. Dorian made a loose fist around the strap that surrounded  Adelin’s torso. The strap that would normally have held his staff in place, but seeing as how this was such a small area it was unlikely that they would meet any trouble.

 

Besides, more than a few of Isabela’s men seemed to have taken up here as well- and if Adelin knew Leliana, he knew she had paid them all well to keep the precious Herald safe. She had been elected Divine, but she was more than happy to play Spymaster for a bit longer before her reign began in earnest.

 

“Addie!” A voice cut through the crowd- a voice that was definitely  _ not _ Dorian’s.

 

From the throng suddenly appeared the curly-hair elf that Adelin had grown so close to the last few days- Revas. Revas with her ears covered by a low-brimmed hat. Dorian frowned at the sight of her, but Adelin perked up and let his shoulders relax- he hadn’t even realized that he had grown tense.

 

“Addie, you’ve  _ got _ to try this!”

 

“What is it?” The ginger asked as a tankard was shoved under his nose by the short elf.

 

“Who cares! We’re on shore leave! We can DO what~eVeR. We. Want! Hahahah!” She laughed and spun around- her usual four or so visible weapons replaced with only two small, simple daggers on her shins. The tipsy elf slopped whatever it was in her mug all over the floor, missing Dorian’s boots by less than a hair and accidentally tipping over against both men when she had spun too much.

 

She was still giggling when she climbed back to her feet, speaking in slurred Elvish with Adelin while Dorian stood tapping his foot impatiently, waiting for them to switch back to a language he understood.

 

When Revas started tugging Adelin towards the bar, Dorian decided it was time to stake his claim-

 

“Adelin, we should get settled in before the innkeeper forgets we’re here and gives the room away.”

 

“But I want him to come *hick* come with ME!” The dark elf cried, clinging to Adelin’s arm seemingly with her whole body. Adelin was just laughing as he tried (in vain) to wrench his arm away.

 

“Yes, but we should  _ really  _ get to our room first-”

 

“It’s too *hick* *hick* early to go to bed! You’re like an old man! You’re going to make him *hick* get bored and lonely  _ again! _ ”

 

“Dorian, maybe-”

 

“You know what? Fine. You two run along, go have your bloody  _ fun. _ I’m going upstairs for a bit- whether you choose to follow me or not is on you,  _ Adahlen’anasal. _ ” Dorian finished, using the elf’s clan-given name like a curse as he turned and stormed up the stairs.

 

Adelin tried to follow him but Revas held a death-grip on his arm and wasn’t letting go. She dragged him back towards the large dining area- also a slick green color- and shoved them into a corner where they was so boxed-in by other tables and people that Revas was  _ literally _ climbing through the crowd in order to get  _ more  _ alcohol. 

 

Somehow he managed to escape from both her and from the crowd and snuck up to his room. On his way up he asked the innkeeper which room the Tevinter man from earlier was in and she gave him directions, giving a knowing smile when Revas started yelling his name and he took off like a bat out of hell.

 

He was already planning out his apology in his head when he heard a conversation from the other side of the door.

 

“He’s just… He’s so bright. It’s just like Cole always said- like counting birds against the sun. And I can hardly keep up with him. Did you know that I’m nearly four years older than him?  _ Four. _ For some people that age gap would be too big to breach after some time. I wonder sometimes if I’m holding him back, weighing him down… I don’t know how to do any of this. I almost miss my old ‘port in a storm’ type relationships. Things were simpler then.”

 

“Dorian, if it turns out that he thinks you’re weighing him down, then he obviously isn’t the right man for you. You are an talented, powerful, beautiful man and you deserve someone who will treat you as such. I’m not very good with the whole ‘feelings’ thing, but I just want you to know that I’m always here for you if you need me. At the very least, I’ll listen. Or maybe we can go stir up some trouble somewhere.”

 

Adelin heard Dorian laugh through the door, and the sound of a bed creaking as someone sat down on it.

 

“Thank you, Izzie. You’re a true friend. I’m a bit tired now though- would you mind…?”

 

“Not at all. Good night, Dorian.”

 

“Good night.”

 

Adelin backed himself up into a shadow as Isabela emerged from the room. She saw him in the shadows, but before she could say anything he put a finger to his lips in a ‘shushing’ motion, then beckoned for her to follow him further down the hall.

 

“... I’ve well and truly fucked this up, haven’t I?”

 

“Yes. Yes you have. Any ideas on how to fix it?”

 

“I’ve got one, but I’ll need you to keep him distracted for as long as you can tomorrow.”

 

“I can keep him distracted for the entire day. How long do you need?”

 

“Honestly? Probably a few weeks, but I’ll do what I can with whatever you can give me.”

 

Isabela nodded, still glaring at the stupid elf but with slightly less bite in her speech. She folded her arms over her chest and listened while Adelin listed off some of the things he would need- smiling at the last few items on the listen with a wicked grin.

 

“I know a few places where you can get those. I’ll have a list sent to you and I’ll get my crewmen to help you move everything.”

 

“Thank you- and, ah. Um. Not that I don’t enjoy Revas’ company, she’s a good friend, but… could you perhaps make it so that she doesn’t drag me back into the bar again? She’s a crazy, giggly drunk and I think Dorian might be a bit jealous of her, to boot.”

 

“I’ll see what I can do.” 

 

“Thank you. And I’m sorry.”

 

“I’m not the one you need to apologize to, sweetheart.”

 

“I know.”

 

Isabela gave him an encouraging squeeze on the shoulder and then gave him a gentle push towards the door where Dorian was no doubt waiting. As far as he was concerned Adelin had ditched him to go party with Revas all day.

 

“Just a warning- you’re about to walk into a viper’s nest full of firecrackers. Tread lightly, Foxie.”

 

“Foxie?”

 

“Varric sent me some letters. You’re not quite as clever as I was led to believe, I’m afraid.”

 

He chuckled, stalling; “Well, Varric does have a gift for exaggeration.”

  
“That he does. Now then-” She shoved him through the door and slammed it shut behind the elf’s stumbling backside.


	8. Port In A Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dorian is upset, Adelin is trying to make him feel better, and Dorian is just very tired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, in honor of Single's Awareness Day on February 14th, I will be releasing this chapter this week and then release two or three new chapters on February 14th. Warning in advance: at least one of those chapters will probably have smut.
> 
> UPDATE:
> 
> Sorry all, uh... My exboyfriend sent me some gifts and thought it would be a great idea to hang out together all day for some reason, and I just wasn't in a great place to be writing these two. I'll get the chapters out as soon as I can.

As Adelin fell forward into the room, he was not the least bit surprised that Dorian had kohl running down his face. He knew he had hurt his lover. He knew he had screwed up. He knew that he had done so many things wrong and he would probably screw up again farther down the line but he loved this insane, wonderful human with all of his scrawny little elven heart and there was no way he was going to give him up, not for anything in all of Thedas.

 

But for right now, he wasn’t fighting against someone trying to take his love away from him. 

 

Right now he was fighting back against the voices in Dorian’s head, and he couldn’t exactly slice those away with his Spirit Sword.

 

“Dorian, I-”

 

“No. Just. Don’t talk. Not right now.”

 

“But-”

 

“Adelin, please. I’m tired. It’s been a long day. We’ll deal with this tomorrow, and I’m not taking any answer right now other than ‘yes, of course, Dorian. Anything you say, Dorian.’ ‘You know what’s best, Dorian.’”

 

“Can I at least say that I know I’ve fucked everything up?”

 

“No, you can’t. You don’t have that privilege right now.” He snapped, standing with his back turned to the elf. “You don’t just get to apologize and think that I’ll forgive you without any new scars on my heart, no new doubts in the back of my mind and nothing else to worry about between the two of us... Adelin we aren’t starting this right now. We’ve got all day tomorrow.”

 

“But Dorian, Isa-”

 

“Adelin, for Maker’s sake, just _please_ shut your mouth before I use a silencing spell.” He whirled around, practically begging- though Dorian Pavus would _never_ _beg_. “I just… I can’t deal with this right now. I can’t deal with either one of us. Normally I think this would be a good time for some strong drinks, but I’ve had enough with throwing up for the time being, so I’m going to bed. And that is the end of the conversation.” Dorian finished with one last snap of his voice.

 

The Tevinter moved with listless purpose, scrubbing the kohl and tears off of his face at the wash basin before slipping into his sleeping tunic. He disappeared beneath the blankets without another sound. Adelin stood silently, eyes following the movements of the mage’s feet. He didn’t feel like he had was worthy of even looking the man in the eye right now.

 

Adelin followed the same routine as Dorian, sliding in at the far side of the bed. He knew he wouldn’t get much sleep, lying awake staring at the window marks left on the wood by the moonlight. He felt the bed give a sort of ‘jump’.

 

Then there was another one.

 

And another.

 

Dorian was crying into his pillow.

 

Adelin didn’t know if Dorian was awake or asleep, but he knew exactly what he needed to say and do right now.

 

He tentatively placed one hand on Dorian’s hip, waiting to be brushed off. 

 

Luckily, he wasn’t. So he let his hand wander, coming closer to Dorian until he could prop himself over the other mage and give a gentle kiss to the little mole just below his eye.

 

“Dorian, you have  _ never been _ nor will you  _ ever again be _ , a ‘port in a storm’.” He began. Dorian gave a slight start but did not open his eyes or roll over. Adelin went on- “I find the idea of  _ anyone _ even  _ thinking _ of you like that revolting. Dorian, I... I know I’ve been- I’m sorry- I know you don’t want to talk about this now, but...  _ Vhenan _ , for me, you’re the wind and I’m the waves- we can be on our own, or we can be side by side, but together we can be so much more. And never,  _ ever _ can we be torn apart.”

 

They both stayed silent like that for a long time.

 

“... You’ve been reading those books Cassandra sent, haven’t you?”

 

“Could I justify it by saying I ran out of books to read?”

 

“Hardly. You have seen your library, yes?” The weary man finally rolled over onto his back. Adelin hovered above him on his arms with a hesitant smile.

 

“Blast, I am found out at last! However shall I repent for my atrocities?”

 

“You could try to stop moving your bloody  _ mouth _ and go to  _ sleep _ , for a start.” Dorian teased with mock anger, knocking one of Adelin’s arms out from under him so that he landed on his chest.

 

“Oh, you’re no fun.”

 

“That’s not what you said before.”

 

“You’re right, before you rather enjoyed when I moved my mouth.” He smiled suggestively.

 

Dorian laughed and rolled them over- getting comfortable on the elf’s chest while he tangled their legs together. Adelin let himself be pushed and pulled until the other mage was comfortable, then dropped a hand into raven locks to play softly. Dorian sighed and threw his arm around a porcelain torso.

 

“...I meant what I said, Dorian. I plan to stay by your side… well, forever, incidentally.” Adelin whispered after a while.

 

“I know. We’ll talk more in the morning,  _ amatus _ .”

 

“Sweet dreams, love.”

  
“Sweet dreams.”


	9. Land Lovers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smut part 1 after Adelin is stupid. You can skip this if smut isn't your thing. Or just skip to this if you're here for the smut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's no plot here, you can skip this if you don't want porn. Or maybe you're here for the porn? Idk. Porn with feelings. Not really a whole lotta plot. Also I'm terrible at writing smut so you've been warned.
> 
> Also, sorry this is so late! I wasn't really in the best place when I said I would write this, but I'm doing better now :)

Adelin was watching peacefully as the sun slipped over the lip of the window in the gentle, early morning dawn when Isabela burst through the doorway, talking as loudly as she would if they were receiving orders back on the Siren’s Call II. Dorian glared at the sea-witch from where he had fallen on the floor.

 

“Alright, let’s go! Chop chop! I’ve got lots of plans for today and not nearly enough time for us to enjoy them.” She insisted, grabbing a handful of clothes and throwing them at a protesting Dorian, whom she ignored. To Adelin’s owlish blinks it seemed as if the whole process took maybe ten minutes, which was definitely a record for Dorian as far as getting ready. She let him fix his moustache in the mirror but rather than waiting for him to style his hair she simply plopped some kind of poofy, pancake-like hat with a feather dripping off the back of it on his head and bustled him out the door with a wink in Adelin’s direction.

 

Adelin waited until he heard her boisterous laugh fade away, then got to work. He dressed, foregoing any sort of getting ready aside from washing his face (not that he really did much to begin with, but he should have some time to shave when he got back), made sure he had a bag of coins and headed for the bazaar with Isabela’s note in hand.

 

~~~~~

 

“Isabela, honestly, did you have to drag me around the docks  _ all day. _ ”

 

“Yes, I needed to educate you. You were rude to my beloved Siren after all. I can’t allow insults to my beloved to go unchecked.”

 

“I APOLOGIZED EIGHT TIMES.”

 

“Only eight? Perhaps we should go bac-”

 

“Izzie!” The mage wailed. Isabela cackled loudly, finally leaving him to his own devices as she dropped him off back outside the door to his rooms.

 

Dorian scrubbed at his face to conceal his chuckles- it was late enough that Adelin might have gone to bed already. 

 

Thinking to the night before, however, quickly put that train of thought to rest. 

 

The mage yanked at the door handle without any further hesitation, and out tumbled Adelin, who appeared to have had his ear pressed against the door listening for him.

 

“Adelin? What-?”

 

“I’m sorry.” Adelin cut him off curtly and kissed him until his mustache was crooked. The elf slowly pulled the human into the room and toed the door shut, not that Dorian noticed. Something about this particular elf was always intoxicating, but this kiss- this kiss held weight. And depth. And a little bit of Dorian’s favorite flavor of red wine, but how could that possibly be-

 

Dorian gasped when Adelin at last let him breathe, and then would have gasped again if his lungs had the space. Instead he simply had to settle for pulling Adelin closer and peppering his entire face with kisses until the elf was giggling, because Maker this man either pulled every possible favor with Leliana  _ and  _ Josephine, or he was about to have some very clever assassins sent for his head and coin purse.

 

The whole room was lit up with mason jars filled with  _ stella- _ or ‘fireflies’ as they were called in the South. The bed, while still the same lumpy bed, their sleeping area had been remade with fine silken sheets that Dorian could already feel beckoning for him. In one corner of the room, (where the wardrobe had been, but that evidently was not needed tonight) Adelin had set up a small table with grapes, cherries, pears, and a lovely bottle of what looked to be Aggregio already airing. The curtains were drawn- Adelin was always courteous of Dorian’s old, paranoid habits- and the whole room had been pleasantly warmed by the small charms Adelin had placed about.

 

Eyes shining, Dorian turned to look at his lover.

 

“Adelin… I-... For once, I actually can’t think of anything to say. I’m wonderstruck.”

 

Adelin’s grin split his face practically in half and he crushed Dorian against the nearest flat surface once more.

 

“That tells me so much more than words ever could, love.”

 

“Hmm…” The mage sighed happily as Adelin’s lips moved over his ear. They continued the foreplay for a while like that- each of them wrecking the other’s hair completely and tearing growls and moans any way that they could. Finally, Dorian had had enough;

 

“Would you like to know what tells  _ me  _ more than words ever could?” Dorian growled into Adelin’s throat after leaving a small love bite that had the elf’s fingers fisting the other’s shirt.

 

“Hm?”

 

“The ache in my back from trying to kiss that outrageously tall face of yours. Get in the bed.”

 

Dazed, Adelin lowered his chin and pulled his brows together in a half-hearted attempt at playing confused puppy.

 

“But the wine-”

 

“Adalen’anasal, get your arse in that bed,  _ now.”  _

 

Adelin groaned in the back of his throat and did as he was told, picking at the buttons of his shirt frantically and shucking off his shoes by stepping on the heels with the slight uneasiness of a man unused to human-style clothing. Dorian laughed and helped the elf with the last button under his throat that he had forgotten to release, before he simply snapped his fingers and suddenly they were both naked.

 

“Remind me, you still need to teach me that one some day.” Adelin purred and pulled the shorter mage closer before his sassy mouth could turn him on any further. The elf was hard as a rock and they had only just started.

 

Finally Adelin laid Dorian down on the bed, the Tevinter now well within reach of Adelin’s soft cheeks and lips, licking at Adelin’s throat, scratching his nails down a pale stretch of back, biting that spot on his ear until the elf was shivering and quaking above him… 

 

It wasn’t long before they were both grinding into each other. Long, slow thrusts that were interrupted only for the sake of making this moment last longer. Finally, Adelin decided to reveal his last surprise of the evening.

 

“Dori- Ah! Dorian… Wait, I- Dorian… Oh for Maker’s sake, Dorian, I’m trying to be romantic and you and your dick are making it very hard to think clearly!” The elf laughed, going completely limp on top of the smaller man in an effort to get him to simply  _ be still. _

 

“If it doesn’t have to do with your dick inside me right now I don’t want to hear about it.” Dorian growled and tried vainly to get even a small amount of friction by bucking his hips. Which, admittedly, did nothing to jostle the elf.

 

“Oh really?” Adelin grinned like a cat.

 

“Yes, really, you complete dolt. Perk up your ears, love, I’m afraid I won’t be repeating myself again.”

 

“What if I had another surprise in store for you this evening?” Adelin whispered, low and hungry in Dorian’s ear- sitting up slowly so as not to give either of them even a modicum of friction where they both knew they needed it most.

 

“Again- don’t care.” Adelin slowly lifted his hips up and off of Dorian. The brunette looked up quizzically at the ginger, thinking that he might be trying to simply leave off here again. It wouldn’t be the first time the elf had gotten skittish during their lovemaking, but still. They were getting married soon. Dorian had thought they were past this shy awkwardness.

 

When Adelin started to settle himself down on Dorian’s lap once more, this time with the tip of Dorian’s manhood at his entrance, the Tevinter gasped so hard it seemed as if someone had punched him.

 

“I find myself caring quite a bit now actually and retract all earlier statements to the contrary.”

 

“I thought you might say that.” Adelin chuckled as he started to try and take Dorian’s cock for the first time.

 

“Adelin- are… you sure about this? At least let me get you ready-”

 

“Why do you think I asked Isabela to keep you out of here all day, love?”

 

“You didn’t!”

 

“Oh, but I did!”

 

And with that, Adelin sank all the way to the hilt in one smooth motion that had Dorian’s hands holding his hips like he might lose control any second now, well muscled fingers leaving dark marks on moon-pale skin. He looked like he was trying to hold himself back, with his jaw clenched tight and his eyes closed even tighter, he tried to keep from moving, if only for Adelin’s sake, but he couldn’t help the small twitches that went through him at every slight sound or movement the elf made. It was almost unbearably hot, and so tight and slick- whatever Adelin had been doing today to get himself ready, it obviously had not desensitized him if the way he was shaking and moaning was any kind of indicator.

 

Dorian was doing his damnedest to keep it together. Adelin, on the other hand, was completely falling apart.

 

The moment Dorian’s cock entered him Adelin was moaning wantonly- he’d never known it could feel this amazing to be on the receiving end of this. He could never have guessed at the feeling of fullness, the rush of pleasure when Dorian’s cock nudged at his prostate, the way it felt to have Dorian under him, looking for all the world like a man balancing on the edge of a knife, just on the edge of tipping over into something that could be either wonderful or terrible and he wasn’t sure which one was better.

 

Despite the fact that Adelin had spent the better part of the day getting himself ready for this, he hadn’t come even once. He thought he owed it to Dorian, somehow, that he should be the one to see him like this the first time they did it this way. He was hotter than he had thought he would be, and he could feel his mouth moving but whatever was coming out he had no idea what it was- broken bits of elven mingled with Tevene on his tongue and praises and curse rained down on Dorian in equal measure.

 

Whatever he was saying, Adelin knew it must have been having the desired effect on the shorter man because suddenly Adelin was underneath, Dorian was still buried deep in him and obviously had no intentions of coming out soon, and their heads were dangerously close to the foot of the bed.

 

Without pause, Dorian was growling into Adelin’s throat, marking the other man so that everyone would know exactly who was fucking the Inquisitor right now. With every stroke, Adelin’s cries grew louder, sometimes he was screaming Dorian’s name and sometimes he was whispering small, almost reverent elvish into Dorian’s overheated skin. Of course, it was the moans that brought Dorian closest to that sharp knife’s edge. Every breath was knocked out of the elf from the force of Dorian’s thrusts, and he knew he would be sore the next day, but  _ Maker _ this man was everything to him, and when Adelin informed Dorian of this in between two thrusts he suddenly found their pace slowing, not quite stopping but not nearly as ferocious as before.

 

“Ahh! … Dorian? Unh…” Adelin gasped softly when Dorian had slowed their pace to an almost painful crawl.

 

“Adelin… I love you. With all my heart, I mean those words. You are my one and only,  _ amatus. _ ”

 

Now it was Adelin’s turn to freeze in place- he’d gasp again if he had more room in his lungs, but he didn’t so instead he just kissed whatever skin he could reach, moaning and smiling and running his hands through Dorian’s hair until he felt his breathing catch, that warmth pooling in his stomach, coiling into a tight knot that was just on the edge of bursting-

 

And then Dorian said something low and sweet in Tevene, and that was all it took for Adelin’s world to completely fall apart.

 

By the time Isabella found them the next morning, the food was gone, the wine was gone, Adelin was curled up asleep with his head in Dorian’s lap, and Dorian was just sitting with a smile on his face, playing with the elf’s short hair. She wasn’t even entirely certain that he noticed her walk into the room, but now she knew for certain-

  
Those two idiots were  _ absolutely _ made for each other.


	10. The Smiting of Violins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revas and Izzie try to pranks Addie and Dorian. Conveniently slippery floors ensue.

“You two idiots are absolutely made for each other.” Isabella informs them after going unnoticed by a love-struck Dorian for a few minutes. Dorian looks up sharply and makes as though to try and hide for a moment, before he realizes it’s just Isabella. It’s just her. She’s their friend and Adelin is his soon to be husband, not some random stranger in a broom closet or a secret lover that disappears come the morning. This is them. This is who they are.

“Shh, he’s still sleeping.” Dorian chided her gently, softly pulling his fingers through Adelin’s hair. He wished the elf would let it grow long enough to properly play with again. Perhaps if he hid the razors and convinced Adelin somehow that long hair made him look sexier…

“I can see that.” Isabella giggled. Dorian smiled, forgetting that she was there for a moment.

“I came to deliver one last peace offering- for you and the Inquisitor both. Revas and I have been talking, and we agree that this is the best restaurant in the area.”

Isabella proudly presented a piece of paper from Maker-knows-where on her short outfit with the name of the place, and Dorian couldn’t help but quirk an eye at the name;

“The Warden’s Songbird? Really?”

“Leliana sent a letter asking if the old place was still around, and Revas and I went there together just the other day- for Leliana, of course. One thing led to another, and, well… The food is delicious, you’ll both love it. I’ve asked that they save a table for two around dinner time tonight- hopefully you didn’t bang his brains completely out of existence, yes?”

Dorian grabbed a pillow and tossed it at the duelist in response, shooing her out of the room when Adelin started to grumble and move a bit. With a wink the pirate snuck out of her friend’s room and back downstairs, where Revas was waiting for her.

“So, did he buy it?”

“I think so. Dorian at least seemed intrigued enough to try and get our beloved little elf to go with him.”

“And he didn’t catch on that the whole thing is a prank?”

“He asked about the name of the place, but if you’ll recall I’m quite good with my tongue.”

“Don’t think I’ll be forgetting that any time soon.” Revas winked and giggled.

“Shall we be off then, my newest partner in crime?”

“I think we shall, my Queen of the Seas. How exactly are we going to grow moustaches again?”

“If I told you I’d be spoiling all the fun! Now, off with you- I need to find someone who can cook.”

~~~~~ 

“...What… is this place?” Adelin asked, sharing a look of confusion with Dorian as they walked closer to what was- quite literally- a hole in a wall. A cracked hole in an old brick wall with a flowing script sign above the door that read “The Warden’s Songbird” at a hazardous-looking angle.

“I’m not sure this is the place Isabella was talking about.” Dorian replied after a beat.

“No, but how many places can actually be called “The Warden’s Songbird” without Leliana catching wind? Or seeing if her Warden is there?” The elf chuckled, ducking through the hole with Dorian on his heels.

The room was so dark compared to the light outside that only a few slim candles on tables could be made out- it appeared that there were few other guests, judging by the chatter, but between not being able to see anything and the bubbly hostess that suddenly appeared and led the two of them to a table by their elbows, ‘other people’ was less of a concrete fact and more of a hazy dream.

“Dorian, can you even read this menu?” Adelin asked, grabbing hold of a candle from another table and holding it frighteningly close to the paper in his other hand.

With a snap of a his fingers, Dorian curled his moustache in a silent answer as a small but bright flare illuminated the area around their table with ample light for reading, even if the darkness around them was still just as wall-like and thick as it had been before.

After a few moments Adelin glaring in turns at Dorian and his menu both, the two mages began to chatter over the selection of food and how they should each get something different so that they could try each.

“Just please, no fish. We’ll have plenty of that when we get back out to sea, I’m sure.”

Adelin laughed at that, especially when Dorian made a face at the mere mention of some sort of fish tartar was recommended by a waiter that definitely did not bear any resemblance at all to Revas. The fact that this person was definitely not Revas was further affirmed when Dorian’s light revealed that this person had a long, bushy mustache and beard- sort of like Blackwall’s, but much too large for such a small frame. 

“May I interest either of you in a wine, perhaps?”

“Something red and sweet, if you don’t mind.”

“Make that two, please.”

“Of course, A- *ahem* Ser. Would you also like to place the rest of your order?”

Dorian settled on something that sounded like a dish from home and Adelin ended up getting some kind of pasta dish in a cream sauce.

“Oh, so that must be it.”

“What must be it?”

“Why your skin is so fair. You only ever eat food as pale as the moon itself.”

“Well, what can I say? I am a creature of the night. Makes for better thunderstorms when the sun can’t evaporate the rain.”

“That may be true, but lightning makes a bit of heat on it’s own, doesn’t eat?”

“I guess you’ll have to wait and find out later.” The elf grinned, settling his chin in his hand as he shamelessly flirted with his fiance.

~~~~~

“Alright then love, what are they up to?” Isabella, wearing a fat suit and a beard that was even more impressive than the one Revas was sporting asked, eyes glimmering with something akin to mischief.

“Adelin asked for some pasta thing and Dorian wants a ‘Vint dish, but they both asked for sweet red wine.”

“Hmm. Alright, that complicates things a bit, i was really hoping one of them would order the fish just to see Dorian’s face when he got a plateful of tentacles, but I suppose that can’t be helped…”

“We could always go for the classic ‘throw a load’a pepper in their food. Those two are too busy having eye-sex across the table to even remember what they ordered anyway.”

“We could… Oh! Revas, you are brilliant darling! Wait right here.” Isabella spun away, leaving a kiss on the dark elf’s cheek as she went. No, Revas was not blushing, this weird hair on her face was making her hot, that was all.

The pirate reappeared a moment later with the wine, two glasses and a vial filled with red-orange liquid.

“Wha’s that?”

“Not sure what they call it here, but a few ports ago they told me it was called “Lava drops”. Some people put it in whiskey to give it a bit more bite- it’s more suited to people who like spicy food. Of which I know for a fact neither of our beloved friends are a fan.”

“Oh, this is so much better than just dumpin pepper in their food.” Revas grinned as she watched Isabella pour a few drops into the bottom of each wine glass. The elf glanced back over at the table, where Dorian and Adelin had gone back to using only the provided candles to see by- which was fantastic because now they wouldn’t even know why their mouths were on fire.

“Off with you then, we’ll think of something else to do when you come back.” Isabella nudged her crewmate over.

“Here you ser, something “sweet and red” as per request.”

“Ah, lovely. What is it, exactly?”

“Hm?” Revas asked, pouring the wine with a smile that was only hidden because of her beard.

“The name of the wine?”

“Ah. Yes. Of course, it’s-” Revas froze for a moment when she realized there was no name on the bottle in her hand.

“Erm. If you’ll allow me to go and ask the chef, ser-” She replied, practically bolting.

Dorian looked at Adelin and raised an eyebrow. “The chef? Chefs prepare food, aside from basic ‘do I pair this with red or white’ most are not educated in that area.”

“I know. Seems a bit odd, don’t you think?”

“Quite. It’d probably best if I tasted the wine before you drank any, love.”

“Out of the question. If it were poisoned, you could die, and I’m not letting you use that as an excuse for us not to get hitched.”

“Adelin, no. I’m still the expendable one here.”

“Not to me. We simply won’t drink anything, tell them to cancel the order, and head off elsewhere.”

“Why don’t we just get up and leave then?”

“There’s something familiar about that waiter, but I can’t put my finger on it just yet…”

“Well, if you do manage to put your ‘finger on it’ as you say, and that person turns out to be some familiar assassin that you let live, I will be quite cross. If we get into a fight in here, we could very well bring the whole place down upon our heads.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time we’ve had to dodge falling bits of building, now, would it?”

“Fair point, but still-”

“Ser, the wine was made by the owner’s daughter, which is why the bottle was unlabeled. It is our house wine, which we make in-house, and thus it does not have a name.” Revas said all in a rush, leaning over the table and closer to Adelin to try and get her point across- literally. But as she leaned closer to his lover Dorian took note of three things- one, an extremely large man was wandering towards them with an extremely small looking violin in his hands. Two, there was a glint of silver at the man’s waist, just below his belt buckle, which was, without a doubt, a dagger. Three-

“He may recognise you from somewhere, but I don’t, and to be frank if you don’t back away from Adelin this instant I will-”

“Revas?” Adelin asked.

Everything and everyone that may or may not have been within earshot fell deathly quiet.

“Ugh. You two just love to spoil my fun. You didn’t even drink the wine yet!” The large man groused, pulling off his shirt and beard to reveal everyone’s favorite Pirate Queen, Isabella. Who, oddly enough, was still holding the violin in her hand.

There were several moments of confused silence in which Adelin and Dorian exchanged looks with each other and their two would-be pranksters, Revas tugged out of her beard, and Isabella pulled down the large curtain overhead which revealed that they were in what was essentially an alleyway between two buildings, and the chattering had been coming from the guests in the restaurants that were apparently on either side of them through thin earthen walls.

Adelin stood quietly, arms crossed over his chest as he look down at the two shorter conspirators.

“I’m waiting.”

“...We were trying to play a prank on you two. Izzie thought we had earned a bit of fun, seeing as how you two had been such arses chasing each other around and such. Plus, I wanted some fun with Izzie, and it seemed like a little bit of spicy wine would be just the thing to get her laughing and get the two of you back all in the same go. I’m sorry, ser. Please don’t be mad at Isabella.”

“Revas.” Adelin snapped, turning that burning golden gaze on the woman in question.

Revas stared down at her boots, waiting for her punishment.

“What did I say about all the formalities? Honestly, Adelin will do just fine.” The elf finished, annoyance still present in his features but a laughing smile trying to tug at his lips at the shock on both women’s faces.

“That’s what you’re mad about? Really?” Isabella asked, Revas was still too dumbstruck to respond apparently.

“Of course that’s ‘all’ I’m mad about. Have Dorian and I not told you about our friend Sera? This is actually a very common occurrence back at Skyhold. However, I must say I’d prefer not to drink now that I know the wine’s been spiked. Would you be terribly offended if we went to find some real food now?”

“I would if you left before I got to play you some music.” Isabella joked, taking up her violin and screeching out a few notes.

Adelin’s hands flew over his ears and he and Dorian fled back the way they had come, shoving past the two women. Isabella cackled and attempted to follow them, but with a snap of his fingers Dorian lit the bow strings on fire, and then it was the boys’ turn to laugh as they watched their friends try to put the fire out first with wine, then dumping copious amounts of water all over the area. The mixture of wine and water made the ground slick, and the next thing you knew, both seawomen were on the ground, Revas's face seemingly stuck in between Izzie’s boobs.

Now all of them were laughing, Isabella especially, while Revas tried vainly to get up without revealing the dark blush that had spread from her cheeks to her ears.

Dorian tugged at his elf’s sleeve softly.

“We should leave them be, I think they have a few things to discuss themselves.”

“Are you sure we shouldn’t-”

Isabella let out a noise that was distinctly not one that you wanted to hear when you were standing six feet away and not about to be on the receiving end of Isabella’s charms.

“Abort, ABORT!” Adelin shouted and laughed as he and Dorian raced away, back into the town square. They only slowed down to regain their breath when they heard Dorian’s stomach growl, promptly making them laugh and duck into a quiet cafe.

“You employ strange people.”

“I do, but just think how boring my stories would be if I didn’t?”

“Fair point!”

~~~~~ 

Later that night, as they came back through the pub that was below their room, Dorian pointed to a dark corner where he could clearly see Isabella snogging Revas senseless.

“Oh, I am definitely teasing her about that later.” Dorian chuckled before Adelin dragged him the rest of the way up the stairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright guys sorry for the lack of updates and also I broke my promise about two porny chapters for Valentine's day. Oops. Anyway I'm going to skip forward a bit so that we can get some more fun happening- I've got a week until I start college and a house full of people I'd rather avoid so expect a rather sudden surge in updates for at least the next couple of days.
> 
> Also? Could really use a beta if anyone is interested.


	11. Ever Heard of Thomas Edison?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isabella brought something on board that is making the journey a bit difficult to say the least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright guys so we’ve skipped ahead a bit and unfortunately left behind some fluffy chapters where Adelin and Dorian go shopping together, but don’t worry I’ve found a way to work that in later. I also think I may finally have a potential chapter count for this series- with fluffy non-plot-moving things I think it’ll be between thirty and forty chapters, but we’ll see.

Adelin could hardly wait to get back out to sea- as was evident by the fact that he had already climbed up into the crow’s nest, even though the crew was still loading the last of the cargo on board. His skin was tingling in the way it normally only was when there was powerful magic around, but he had the feeling that it was more due to excitement than to a magical artifact in this case.

 

He was up so high that the crewmen below him looked like ants, but even still he could pick out the golden glimmer of Isabella, the dark sun-beaten hair of Revas, and well… Dorian was the only one standing stock still on the docks, not moving except to step out of the way, never once looking away from the man he loved so far above him.

 

Adelin climbed higher, moving along the top of the foremast so that he was almost directly above Dorian’s head.

 

With a grin at the look he knew he would see soon on the other man’s face, Adelin let out a whoop and dove head-first towards the deck below, flying and letting all his muscles go loose at the last moment to avoid bruising. 

 

Dorian, at this point, was rather used to his love’s apparent death wish, especially when it came to flying around the ship with nothing to hold him up save a rope harness. What he was not expecting, however, was for said elf to have a rope long enough that he would get to see his elf, face-to-face, and be able to enjoy the experience of being kissed while his insane fiance was upside down.

 

“You” Dorian pecked a discrete kiss on the elf’s freckled nose “are terribly dull and I hate you.”

 

Adelin grinned, cut himself free of his rope harness, at which point gravity suddenly became a thing that existed, and he and Dorian both ended up a tangle of limbs on the wooden dock.

 

“You two should really wait until we’re at sea to be doing that, don’t you think?” Isabella softly half-scolded, nodding in the direction of a Tevinter ship that was heading into port.

 

Adelin’s eyes grew impossibly wide for a moment before he scrambled up, holding his hand out to Dorian to help him up, then hesitating and putting it back at his side, then holding it out again and quickly jerking the shorter to his feet with an awkward pat on the shoulder.

 

“Sorry.” He said aloud to no one in particular, suddenly seeming very small.

 

Dorian gave his lover a sad sort of smile. This wasn’t Addie. Or even Adelin. This person that was standing before him was Adahlen’anasal, the terrified young elven mage Dorian had met all that time ago in Redcliffe, the one who didn’t know anything about the  _ shemlen _ or their religion or their politics, didn’t even know who or what or why Dorian was there, just thankful that there was someone who wanted to help him and not hurt him for once.

 

“I think we’ll be safe enough here, don’t you? Anonymity of the crowd and what not. We’ll have to get used to… the way things are back in Tevinter, but that is precisely why curtains have drapes, wouldn’t you agree?”

 

Dorian took Adelin’s hand in his a squeezed it for a moment until he felt the other return the pressure.

 

Revas appeared at Isabella’s elbow and informed her that the crew had everything ready to leave, on her command. Adelin released Dorian’s hand soon after and headed on board, quite obviously upset- though whether it was with himself for being so carefree or with Dorian for what he said about Tevinter, the brunette couldn’t tell. He knew they would have to talk about this at some point, but hopefully that would be later tonight when they could have a moment truly alone.

 

~~~~~ 

 

Dorian climbed into his hammock alone that night. He was seasick, of course, but the peppermint kept most of the food down now. When he had asked Revas where Adelin was, she simply replied that he had volunteered to take a night shift at the crow’s nest.

 

Unsurprised, Dorian had stood near the railing and waited for the elf to come down.

 

Adelin had not come down. Dorian had waited through three different shift rotations for Adelin, but the elf had stubbornly sent each crewman back down without so much as a word for his fiance. Not knowing what else to do, Dorian made the most logical, adult decision he could-

 

He went into his hammock in the room that he shared with Adelin, and pretended to be asleep until he heard the other walk in and close the door.

 

“Care to share why you refused to come down for so long?”

 

“...”

 

“Are we playing the quiet game now, darling? We both know you’ll always win that. I can never keep my mouth shut properly for any span of time- even when I know better.”

 

Adelin kept his tongue, not even looking at the mage. 

 

“Like now- I can only presume you’re angry with me because of my countrymen and the way that we’ll be received when we arrive and I announce that I’m not only going to marry a  _ man  _ but an  _ elf. _ I’m sure that once you meet them all you’ll see just how much you loathe me and break off our engagement, run back to the Dales or to the Inquisition and never think of me again.”

 

Adelin didn’t say a word. He pulled a very tense, angry, scared Dorian out of his hammock until the human was flush against his chest and kissed as much skin as he could possibly reach. When he felt the dampness on the other’s cheeks, he wordlessly wiped it away, and when he was satisfied that Dorian was once again relaxed and breathing normally in his arms, he softly explained;

 

“I stayed in the crow’s nest because I knew that I was going to miss seeing the sky every day. I wanted to enjoy it while I had the chance.”

 

“What are you even talking about? Of course you can see the sky every day-”

 

“-Dorian.” The elf cut him off “I stayed in the crow’s nest because I realized that very soon, I am going to be living in a house that always has curtains drawn so that I can kiss you and hold you whenever I wish, sunlight and blue skies be damned. I realized that I may not be able to freely walk the streets, head held high and unashamed of myself as I have been able to do here.” He began 

 

“I realized that, if we are caught before you announce it yourself, people will very likely send others to kill one or both of us. I stayed up in the crow’s nest because for quite some time, it’ll be the closest, purest form of freedom I’ll be able to enjoy. And I could never hate your countrymen, Dorian. Just because they are ignorant and stupid does not mean I hate them. They gave me you. And if there is one thing I am grateful for in this twisted world that you and I share, it is that you left them all behind, and somehow ran into me. You are the greatest thing to ever happen to me, you showed me that I can be snarky and difficult and… just be  _ who I am _ and not need to apologize for that, and I will never, ever be able to thank you enough for that, vhenan.” He ended with another kiss to Dorian’s temple, curling around his beloved as best he could as if trying to shield him from something.

 

“...Now I know I need to take that book Cassandra gave you away. That was so awful I was moved to tears. You’re truly the most boring, unoriginal person I have ever met.” Dorian whispered as he wiped at his eyes. He pulled one of Adelin’s hands off of his side to lace their fingers together.

 

Adelin smiled softly; “No lines from a book here, emma lath. You showed me that I don’t need to filter myself down to suit others- I’m an open book, but you lay every part of me bare. You get to see all of me- the real me.” He kissed his lover again.

 

“It’s alright, go to sleep. You don’t have to say anything more. I’ll spend all day with you tomorrow, I promise. No climbing, no getting distracted by other crew, just staying with you until you grow sick of me.”

 

“You promise.”

 

“With all my heart.”

 

“...Goodnight then. Sleep well, Addie.”

 

“Sleep well.”

 

~~~~~ 

 

It couldn’t have been more than a few hours later when Adelin was woken up by Isabella yelling his name as loud as she possibly could in her strictest Captain Voice.

 

Even despite that, it was nearly impossible to hear her over the rain until she was shaking him awake and dragging him out of bed.

 

“Adelin, there’s a thunderstorm- my ship is taking too many hits. It’s got to be all that metal inlaid along the hull- please, I’m out of ideas.”

 

“Alright, relax. I can handle this no problem.” Was Adelin’s calm reply. He grabbed his staff, walked up onto the deck, and was immediately throw to the deck by Isabella, because had she not tackled him, he would have been smashed in the head with what was essentially a big pulley with a hook on the end. Normally they used it to haul heavy boxes onto the main deck, but it had come loose and was now flying around the deck. Revas appeared out of thin air and secured it somewhere a moment later, but it was likely to shake loose again if the strength of the waves rocking the ship were anything to go by.

 

No sooner was he on his feet than Isabella was shouting “BRACE” and everything not properly prepared or tied down was promptly washed off the deck and into the angry maw of the waves.

 

Thinking fast, Adelin ran for the nearest mast a tied some junk rope from his waist to that, looping it securely to ensure that he wouldn’t be swept away no matter what.

 

The water stung his eyes and tried to blind him, but as Adelin watched more and more lightning strikes converged on the ship- even ones that should have struck farther out at sea came barrelling straight at them. Perhaps that tingling on his skin had been a magical artifact after all.

 

Isabella slipped and slid a bit, but stayed upright until she was right next to him, eyes wide but not afraid.

 

“Isabella, if there is something magical on this ship, I need it brought to me or myself brought to it right this instant.”

 

“There’s nothing magical on my ship!” She shouted above the rush of a wave that turned the deck until it was at a steep 75 degree angle and then promptly washed over all of them. 

 

To prove his point, Adelin watched the clouds and snapped his fingers, pointing where he wanted the lightning to strike. Electricity streaked down from the clouds and headed directly for the water, but then abruptly turned at what was obviously  _ not  _ a natural angle and slammed into the side of the boat.

 

“...”

 

“...”

 

“...” Adelin quirked an eyebrow in annoyance. He knew she wouldn’t be able to hear him over the wind anyway.

 

“Fine! FINE! I’ll go get it! It was supposed to be a SURPRISE!” She shouted, throwing her arms up in the air and stomping back into the hull. Not a moment later, a wide-eyed Dorian made a bee-line for the nearest edge of the ship. The Tevinter didn’t even seem to be paying attention to the way the ship was listing, completely ignored the way that the water growled at him, and would have been knocked into the sea itself had Revas not braced herself against the railing over Dorian, taking the brunt of the water’s pressure to ensure that her boss didn’t end up drowning or falling overboard.

 

A scowl of concentration set into her features, she waited until Dorian was done puking and then hauled him back to Adelin by the collar-

 

“You’re in charge of him! Tie him in and keep him alive!”

 

Adelin didn’t even have time to respond before she was gone again, grabbing two more men and physically dragging them out of the way before they could be crushed by a pair of crates that had sprung free.

 

“Dorian, can you hear me?” Adelin yelled above the waves, gripping the fire mage by his shoulders. Dorian nodded, staring in just-woken-up shock all around him.

 

“How the hell did we sleep through this!?”

 

“It’s not a natural storm. Either go back inside and stay in the hammock, or come over here so I can tie you in. If I tie you in, there’s no going back- you’ll be stuck out here with me until I or someone else can untie you. Alright?”

 

“Alright.” He replied and moved back towards the ship’s innards. They both knew that as much as he had been trying, Dorian was a fire mage through-and-through and lightning simply would not reliably obey him. Adelin walked him as far as the rope would allow, then handed him off to Isabella when she reappeared with some kind of staff in hand.

 

The elf swung it around once and immediately knew that it was beyond his ability to entirely control it. However, that one movement had managed to attract at least two lightning bolts to the staff and not to the ship, so there might yet be hope of him figuring this out.

 

First- get to higher ground.

 

He quickly let loose the knot that held him to the mast, looping the rope around his shoulder so that it hung across his body from his shoulder to his opposite hip, then tying in the staff as best he could. When he could not feel any impending lightning strikes, Adelin whipped the staff out, pointed it at the water below them when the ship once again tipped nearly all the way over by a wave, and then waved Revas over once the water was out of his mouth.

 

“Revas, keep everyone away from me. I need to get to the crow’s nest.” He said as calmly as he could, golden eyes flickering with purple bits of electricity.

 

“Right. Oi, all you lousy sods-!” She began ranting as she turned on her heel.

 

Adelin grabbed the rigging and climbed as fast as he could- lightning struck him once more but he was able to bleed it out slowly into the waves when yet another crashed into him in its attempt to sink the Siren’s Call II.

 

Finally he made it to the highest possible point on the ship. It was calm up there, for the most part. The waves were massive from the storm but the real issue had been the lightning- which was now all heading directly for the elf at once. He threw up a Barrier as well as he could but the lightning grasped wicked fingers that felt like they were tearing Adelin in two to get to the staff. He tied himself to a peg just in case, fingers twitchy and eyes purple-white from the amount of energy in his system, and then as soon as he was able to he loosed a massive lightning bolt back up into the sky.

 

It was far from a permanent fix, but even with the lightning-rod-like effect the staff seemed to posses it should keep charges from hitting them for at least a few minutes. A fact which he was incredibly thankful for, because using a staff that is too advanced for your skills can put quite a drain on mana, as can doing magic without a staff- both of which he had incidentally done in the span of just a few moments.

 

He couldn’t help but be thankful that Corypheus had forced him to become so much stronger. If he were still a simple Dalish elf at this point, he’d be dead after the first lightning strike. Right now he could really use a lyrium potion, but there was no way he’d be able to climb down to get one without risking the crew, and nobody would be able to hear him all the way up here over the storm.

 

Thunder rumbled and Adelin felt more than saw the lightning strike that smashed into the crest of the next wave coming at the ship. He steeled his nerves and waited. He was hopeful that the lightning spreading through the water in that wave would somehow spread out enough that it would not hurt the crew, but he could already see the bodies of some poor fish floating to the surface. Without a second thought he tugged at the energy trapped in that wave, jerking it out of the water the same way he used the mark to jerk Fade Rifts closed, guiding the magic in a line from the wave to his hand, then hurling it up into the sky again for another few moments of reprieve.

 

When he heard the next growl of thunder, he stretched out his staff above his head as he had with that strange sword when he had been named Inquisitor. It wasn’t long before a weak jolt of light smacked the staff, but still, it was enough that Adelin had to clench his jaw and concentrate hard to keep from losing too much mana in one go again. He kept his arm up, waiting patiently through the next six strikes before firing back into the clouds again.

 

The next round he was able to hold out for eight strikes. Then back down to seven. Then he could only hold four. He was rapidly running out of mana and he couldn’t recharge fast enough on his own. If anything, the lightning strikes were getting weaker, and the storm seemed like it might subside soon, but to be completely honest Adelin would have liked nothing more than to collapse in a heap after the  _ first  _ round of lightning had been sent back to the sky.

 

Thunder growled once more and the elf’s golden eyes glittered with the sky’s power, determined to last through this by spite alone if he had to.

 

~~~~~ 

 

Meanwhile below the crow’s nest, Isabella and Revas had gotten everything loose tied down, all the crew that weren’t needed at the moment were below deck waiting the storm out or tending the wounded, and Dorian was shaking his foot nervously back and forth because if he started pacing he was likely to get tossed against a wall.

 

By his count Adelin had been above deck nearly an hour, and by what he knew of Adelin’s magic that amount of time was nearly triple what it would normally take for Adelin to dispel a storm like this. Or at least the lightning in it. He had seen him do this trick plenty of times, especially on the storm coast, or when fighting a Pride Demon or Lightning Dragon- it wasn’t a difficult ability to master, nor did it require a great deal of mana to be expeneded- Dorian had watched Adelin reroute lightning and then cast both Resurgence and Lightning Cage without so much as blinking.

 

Still, if he had been up there this long, even if he wasn’t low on mana, surely he must be freezing...?

 

Without another moment of hesitation Dorian was rushing out of the sleeping quarters and up the mast to where Adelin was. He probably should have tied himself down or something, as Revas and Isabella had done- both of them tied near the ship’s wheel, but there was no time. Dorian braced against an oncoming wave and then watched as Adelin released another weak blast of energy, climbing with surprising speed to the very top, flopping into the crow’s nest when one of his feet got stuck on something and losing a boot in the ensuing struggle.

 

When at last Dorian looked at Adelin, his breath caught in his chest.

 

The lightning shone in Adelin’s normally golden eyes, glinting in his mouth and all along his dampened skin. His skin was pale, but showed electricity marks fanning out down his arms from his palms to his elbows- going nearly to his shoulder on the arm that was holding the staff. The dark marks swirled over his skin like some sort of vines, standing out more starkly with every hit of lightning that Adelin channeled away. His hair was repeatedly flattened and then snatched up again by the wind, and he was so focused in his task that he didn’t notice Dorian for several long minutes.

 

“Dorian, go back. I can handle this.” Adelin growled as loudly as he could, pale from the cold and determined to see this through to the end with clenched teeth.

 

“Shut up.” Was Dorian’s only response. He placed a hand on the back of Adelin’s neck and let mana trickle into him. Which was both good and bad, because that meant that Dorian felt the next lightning strike, but it also meant that Adelin had more than enough power to shoot one last, vicious bolt of lightning of his own at the sky as if it had personally offended him, and then slump to floor with Dorian right next to him. The staff landed oddly but thankfully did not crack or pull more lightning from the clouds. Aside from far off rumbles and the constant battery of the waves, it was hard to even tell if there was still a storm outside the crow’s nest.

 

“Ad-d-d-lin. Al- right?” Dorian stuttered, still trying to work the electricity out of his teeth. Adelin touched a cold hand to Dorian’s cheek and then held a tired palm skyward just in front of the human’s chest- seeming to pull the extra energy right out of him and then slamming his palms together- a flash of sparks shot out of his clenched hands, then the light faded and Adelin huffed out a breath. His hands were smoking slightly but it didn’t seem as though he had many burns this time.

 

“I’m alright. Just a bit spent.” He murmered but the words were lost in the wind.

 

Dorian laced their fingers and pulled the elf’s head to lie under his chin, wrapping his arms around him and warming him as best he could.

 

“Be a lot easier if we just went inside.” Adelin had noted after a while. The storm raged on around them, but the bucket of the crow’s nest shielded them from at least the horizontal winds. Rain fell in sheets now, drenching them, thoroughly. They were both soaked to the bone and liable to catch colds if Dorian’s heating charms happened to wear off.

 

“Think you can climb down?”

 

“No, but I imagine I could try and use my rope and just jumping.”

 

“There is no way in bloody hell that you are jumping down from here with the way you are now. Come on- I’ll tie you to me, and we’ll go down together. That way if you slip, I can catch you.”

 

“Mm.” Adelin grunted. He just wanted to be dry and not feel all tingly again. Normally feeling all tingly was a pleasant sensation- not so much when your entire body was practically dumb in its numbness. He couldn’t even get his legs under him properly for a few minutes. He was tempted to ask Dorian to just carry him, knowing the smaller man was more than capable of lifting his weight if not for how unreasonably tall and awkward it was to try carrying someone taller than you.

 

Luckily for them both Revas had noticed their descent and came to help- between two sets of strong arms, the too-tall elf was herded down to Isabella’s room- “Captain’s orders” Revas had replied to Dorian’s protests- and left only after Dorian had assured her that he would get his lover into dry clothes before they stole Isabela’s plush bed from her.

 

Which, technically, wasn’t a lie- Izzie had been left with more than a few pairs of men’s pantaloons in her room over the years, and luckily a few of them had been just their size. Adelin was about as coordinated as a newborn foal, so saying that getting him into a pair of pants wasn’t both hilariously memorable and slightly concerning at the same time was a lie. Once Adelin was at least halfway clothed, Dorian hurried to get into the bed and start warming them up.

 

As usual, Adelin curled around Dorian The Human Furnace seemingly by instinct- what Dorian found most endearing was so exhausted at this point that there was nothing but nonsensical drivel spilling from his mouth right now.

 

“Dorian, did you see that thing I did where I squished the lightning that came out of you? I didn’t even know I could  _ do that. _ Do you think I should have tested it on myself first? I probably should have. I could have blown us up. Why does magic blow up so much? I wish it wouldn’t.”

 

“ _ Amatus, _ shhh… You need to rest.”

 

“I’m glad you helped though. Oh, you know what would really help? When magic backfired, instead of blowing up, what if it just made more trees?! Dorian there would be so many forests! And so many trees to climb! Oh- and the bigger the ‘explosion’ the better the trees would be for climbing! Wouldn’t that be grand?”

 

“Yes, it would. Trees are lovely.”

 

“I  _ know! _ ”

 

“But love, you need sleep.”

 

“Can we sleep in a tree?”

 

“Technically we are sleeping in a tree. Just a tree that was cut up and shaped into a boat.”

 

Adelin gasped and sat up and gaped at Dorian, then looked all around the room with wide eyes.

 

“DOES THAT MAKE THIS A NEST- ARE WE BIRDS” He asked, tugging at the bedding and blankets around him curiously.

 

Dorian wrapped the delusional elf up in his arms and laid both of them back down. He cast one more heating charm under his breath, and then he was simply talking, filling the air with senseless chattering about anything and everything that crossed his mind until he was sure that the ginger was asleep.

 

Dorian lifted one of Adelin’s arms by the wrist experimentally, looking at the way the lightning scars swirled over his skin. It was beautiful, in a way- almost like a vallaslin, but Dorian already knew it would fade in a few days. 

 

“Thank the Maker. Forget promising to stay with me all day tomorrow- I don’t think you’ll be moving for at least a week.” Dorian chuckled softly and pressed a kiss to his love’s still-damp locks.

  
It was a good call to hide those razors. He would look much better with longer hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those curious as to what lightning scars look like, google "lichtenburg figures" or "electricity scars" and they look a bit like snowflakes


	12. Self Indulgent Cuddle Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You can basically skip this chapter if you want but it does explain the whole 'Adelin has like three or four names' thing at least a little. And there is a ton of fluff. And also mentions of Adelin having long hair at one point and being an awkward overly-proper dork.
> 
> Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh wow would you look that I managed to add only a sprinkle of angst and a heaping mountain of fluff, what a concept.
> 
> It's in the title. I wanted fluff. Injured Addie provided an opening. Next time we see these nerds they'll be at port again, but they won't be there long. More surprise guest appearances on the way! Woo!

Adelin came back to the world of the waking slowly, pulled back out of the Fade by rolling waves of pain.

 

And also actual waves.

 

Because he was still on a Blighted boat, being rocked gently back and forth. Any other day it would have been a soothing motion, but right now it was sending pain zinging down his spine and snapping his teeth together with a hiss as silken sheet brushed over too-tight skin and sweaty palms. His tongue was little more than a fuzzy slug in his mouth, the blankets felt too heavy despite the pleasant warmth radiating from them, and if he could move of his own volition, the elf would have flung them off with all the grace and ‘proper manners’ of a squalling six year old.

 

However, seeing as how  _ thinking _ about moving hurt, Adelin did little more than groan until he felt the familiar touch of magic and a cool cloth that he knew would only be Dorian. 

 

His ears were full of cotton and his eyes gummed shut, but they didn’t even need to speak most of the time when this happened. Dorian dampened his fingers, leaving little drops of water on sticky lashes for a few moments, then wiping them away softly with a corner of the soft blanket. Nearly all the gunk was immediately free of the elf’s golden orbs, finally letting him try to meet his favorite nurse’s eyes.

 

And then promptly slam them closed and growl in the back of his throat when the lit hit his pupils.

 

Dorian smiled softly, brushing back the elf’s bangs. Despite the bonelessness, grumbling and general bellyaching coming from the younger mage, Dorian managed to get him sitting up enough to drink a glass of water. Much of it dribbled down the elf’s pallid cheeks, but his tongue and throat felt much better.

 

Now if only everything would  _ stop swaying _ .

 

It was several hours later, when the sun had set, and the rolling of the ways had brought Adelin’s last meal up at least two times, that the elf spoke.

 

“...’This what it’s like for you?” He chuckle-whispered, before hissing again at the unpleasant pull of muscles in his torso.

 

“Is what like this for me?”

 

“Boats. Ocean.”

 

“Ah, you mean the sea sickness? Generally, yes. It’s not very pleasant, is it?”

 

Adelin shook his head as best he could. Dorian held a peppermint leaf to his lips and instructed Adelin not to swallow it or it wouldn’t help his nausea. 

 

Stowed firmly in the elf’s cheek where they could both be sure he wouldn’t somehow choke on the small plant- but this was Adelin they were talking about,  _ much _ stranger things had happened.

 

~~~~~ 

 

At some point Revas had stopped by to inform them that they would be heading for another port to make up for supplies lost during the storm, but only Dorian had been awake at the time.

 

When Adelin came around later Dorian relayed the message, even if he wasn’t certain Adelin could hear him. He always did get worse before he got better when he was feeling under the weather- no pun intended.

 

Well. Maybe slightly intended.

 

Anyway, Adelin slept a lot, as per usual, but by day three most of the electricity marks had faded away. These marks weren’t nearly as bad as the ones Adelin had gotten after Dorian had accidentally shot him with that Lightning Bolt all that time ago- probably because it hadn’t been a spell, but just a regular bolt of lightning.

 

By the fourth day, Adelin was moving on his own and staying awake for more than a few hours at a time. He didn’t need the peppermint leaves anymore, and he was  _ begging _ Dorian to let him go outside.

 

“It’s been too long without sunlight for me. Can’t you just be my crutch while we go topside for a few minutes?”

 

“Not until those marks are completely gone.”

 

“But Doriaaaannnnnnnn!”

 

“Do not make me mother you!”

 

“You’re already mothering me!”

 

“Are you talking back to me young man?”

 

“...No. Fine. But I’m still bored. Help me take my mind off things?”

 

And that was how the pair got to talking about Adelin when they had first met.

 

~~~~~ 

 

Inquistion Agent Adahlen’anasal of Clan Lavellan, a proud, if skittish, Dalish Elf with shoulder-length red hair walked into the Chantry, and if his inner voice hadn’t immediately informed him that the lovely man currently speaking to him was vastly out of his league, he might have been struck dumb by the mere sight of him.

 

He did, actually, trip over his own feet as he moved forward, but nobody made mention of that later.

 

If Dorian hadn’t been paying attention, he wouldn’t even have noticed it, actually. 

 

But notice he did, and thus he felt it extremely important to show off even more so than usual.

 

It was fairly obvious that the elf before him was remarkably intelligent, he had simply lacked the proper tools and education. Two things Dorian would  _ gladly  _ give him. Innuendo  _ absolutely  _ intended.

 

Their first conversation had been mostly Dorian doing his best to banter and charm, the elf being stoically polite and every bit as awkward as his long-legged gangliness implied, followed by more banter that didn’t seem to be having any sort of effect on the pretty young lightning mage at all.

 

Were it not the for the way the elf acted in the future, when it was quite literally just the two of them against the world, Dorian would have thought the man to be straight. But no- that was the first time Dorian had seen the real Adelin- the one who would say ‘fuck it all’ to social constructs and muscle his way to becoming one of the greatest powers in all Thedas, but doing it elegantly and politely in a way that had people praising him a hero rather than a villain.

 

_ “What did you say your name was again?” _

 

He pulled the blade of his staff out of the skull of the other templar that had attacked them in the locked cell they had been thrown in during their trip to the future.

 

_ “My clan has named me Adahlen’anasal.”  _ He had replied tursely. It wouldn’t be until later that Dorian learned it was not the strain of him wrenching steel from bone that had made him speak that way, but rather the complicated emotions that swirled when Adelin’s name came up.

 

_ “No, no. That won’t do- I’m sorry that name is simply far too long to be practical. Whatever it means in Elvish I’m sure it must be as beautiful as you are, but we need something shorter for the moment at least… How about ‘Anasal’?” _

 

The elf shook his head no.

 

_ “Addie?” _

 

_ “Perhaps when we have become better acquainted, that one would be acceptable…” _

 

_ “Someday? You intend to keep me around then?” _

 

_ “Provided we aren’t killed here and manage to make it back to our own timeline, then, yes. It would be my honor to welcome you to the Inquisition.” _

 

_ “...They’ve trained you a bit too well, Adelin. For the moment, you and I are brothers at arms. We are not human and elf, we are not Dalish and Tevinter, we are nothing more than two men- two mages, who have a common goal. You may drop the formalities.” _

 

_ “...Adelin…”  _  He had smiled softly, with kind golden eyes that snatched Dorian’s breath away.

 

_ “What?” _

 

_ “You called me ‘Adelin’. It’s been a very long time since I was able to use that name.” _

 

_ “What do you mean?” _

 

_ “It’s a Clan Lavellan matter. I’ll explain when we get home.” _

 

~~~~~ 

 

“You know, you never did explain to me what you meant about ‘not being able to use’ that name.” Dorian mentioned as the two came smiling back from their reverie.

 

“I suppose I didn’t, did I?” Adelin smiled and pushed himself up higher on his pillows.

 

“It’s simple, really. I was born into a different clan- I don’t remember the name of it, I was taken so young- but when my ‘sister’ and I joined Clan Lavellan, we were given new names to signify that we were now a member of the Lavellan Clan and thus we weren’t allowed to use our names any more. I was lucky, my new name was similar enough to my old one that I can still remember it, but Bor’anasal- my sister- she claims she can’t remember hers at all.”

 

“Why would they give you a different name?”

 

“They told me that it was so that I could have a fresh start- I think it might have been because they didn’t want the slavers tracing us back to them. Do you know how much children with magical powers like mine, or fighting skills like Bor’s go for?”

 

“...”

 

“Sorry, don’t answer that. You get my point, though. They took mother because she had the longest, most lovely hair and she was an amazing cook- she could make dirt taste delicious if she tried. And father was a powerful mage- Lightning, of course, was his specialty. He managed to teach me a few things before we were…”

 

Dorian reached out and squeezed his  _ amatus _ ’ hand.

 

“I’m sorry I asked, please don’t cry, we can stop now.”

 

“I’m not-”

 

Dorian wiped a tear from Adelin’s cheek.

 

“Huh. I guess I’m just too used to the feeling at this point.” Adelin gave a small chuckle, and Dorian all but leapt at him and pulled him into a fierce cuddle. He played with the slowly lengthening strands of his strong, beautiful elf’s hair and let the silent tears drench his shoulder.

 

Eventually they spoke again, Dorian telling happier stories of his time in Tevinter, and Adelin sharing happy memories he had of his clan. They talked about moments that made them proud- for Dorian, being accepted into a Circle was, for a time, his crowning achievement. For Adelin, it had been when he had finally managed to summon up the courage he needed to start taking on the duties of a First and future Keeper.

 

But they both had to agree- whatever they had done while they were apart, nothing held a candle to what they had been able to do together.


	13. Fox, Snake, Wolf, Crow, and Toadstool

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Several cameos from Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age II characters- plot continues being moved forward here, as opposed to the plotless fluff in the last chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I LOVE FENRIS SO MUCH OKAY LIKE THIS BOY WOULD BE MY ULTIMATE BABE IN THE REAL WORLD WHY CANT HE BE A REAL PERSON AAAUUUUUGGGGGHHHH
> 
> I'm fine.
> 
> Anyway, this is the chapter where the plot begins picking up again- kind of a boring chapter IMO because nothing gets electrocuted or blown up but eh. There's a purpose to this I promise it's important just read and enjoy :)

“So, Isabela- Please, do tell, what  _ exactly _ was the thing that nearly cost me my head this time?” Adelin began the conversation amicably, with only a hint of teasing in his grin.

 

“Oh, you’re awake! And here I was thinking the two of you would have commandeered my bed until we reached the next port! Oh wait-” She gestured towards the wooden beams to the left of their ship, skillfully evading the question as she took up Adelin and Dorian’s elbows in her own.

 

“Revas is in charge of getting the ship restocked while we’re here- how would you two like to meet a pair of old friends of mine?”

 

“I’d be delighted! As long as they don’t try to seduce my fiancee out from under my nose.” Dorian replied.

 

“I make no promises for the one- the other is quite happily spoken for, however. In fact, I believe he’s still looking for him.”

 

“Who is looking for who?” Adelin chipped in.

 

“Fenris is looking for Hawke.”

 

“Last I had heard he was headed for Weisshaupt- but that was quite some time ago. Hawke hasn’t returned to him yet then?”

 

“Apparently not. Oh, watch your step-” She added as she flattened both men out of the way of a rather large cargo crate that came by.

 

“This way- keep close until we’re outside of the crowd. And Adelin, put your hood up- just in case.” Adelin nodded and wordlessly flicked his ears and hair beneath the cloth.

 

~~~~~ 

 

It took them longer to get out of the crowd than expected, but it didn’t take long for them to make their way to a table with two elves and…

 

“King Alistair?”

 

“Inquisitor? What are you doing- I mean, that is to say, I’m honored to have you here.” The King of Ferelden stood and gave the Inquisitor a confused look.

 

“The pleasure is all mine, your worship.” Adelin gave a subtle bow. Alistair was dressed in commoner’s clothing, which meant he probably didn’t want to be recognized.

 

“Isabela!” Dorian and a white-haired elf with dark skin hissed at the same time before adding;

 

“You brought the Inquisitor?”

 

“You didn’t tell us the bloody  _ king _ was one of your old friends!”

 

“Yes, Fenris, I brought a Dalish mage who happens to be my friend. No, Dorian, I didn’t even know he was coming.”

 

“Ah, I am afraid that would be my fault, I invited him when I was informed of his presence in town.” Another dark-skinned elf with blonde hair spoke up. He quickly ushered them all into seats, making sure to sit down next to Isabela, and immediately dropped a hand on the pirate’s thigh.

 

After several awkward moments of silence around the table, Isabela spoke up.

 

“Really now, you’re all grown men. Can you not introduce yourselves properly?”

 

“Ah, of course! Apologies.” Alistair spoke up. “I’m- well, I suppose you all know who I am, actually. I really should not have been the one to start this off.” He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

 

“Be careful, my liege, your awkwardness does not become one of such rank” He smiled as the king spluttered before effortlessly continuing “My name is Zevran, Zev to my friends. At the moment, I am little more than a well-trained, yet unemployed, assassin. How do you do, Inquisitor?” He stuck his hand out for Adelin to shake.

 

“A pleasure. And please, call me Adelin.”

 

“Yes, yes he is.” The whole table groaned at Isabela’s I’m-taking-off-your-clothes-in-my-head smirk and Zevran outright laughed.

 

“My name is Fenris, I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Ser Adelin.”

 

“Likewise, although you can lose the ‘ser’ if you wish. We’re all friends here, at least as far as I’m concerned.”

 

“As you wish.” The tattooed elf inclined his head.

 

“My name is Dorian of House Pavus. Adelin and I are-”

 

“Engaged!” Adelin yelped when Zevran’s gaze drifted over to the pair of them hungrily. The white-haired elf seemed to reflexively reach for the massive sword leaning against the back of his chair, but did little more than… glow slightly? And clench his fist beneath the table.

 

“Well, I was going to lead with ‘visiting my home country, Tevinter’ but I suppose that works too.”

 

“Sorry.” Adelin blushed.

 

“You’ve nothing to apologize for- it’s  _ this one _ that can’t seem to keep it in his pants.” Alistair informed him with a pointed look at the blonde elf.

 

“Hah! As if Isabela is any better.” Fenris added to the chide.

 

“Hey!” The two in question cried out at the same time, sending the whole table into a fit of laughter.

 

“Well, you’re not wrong.” Isabela giggled before she turned to Zevran.

 

“So, unemployed, eh? Would you have any interest in boarding my ship until we reach Tevinter and drop these two off?”

 

“That does sound tempting, but I fear the sea is not so agreeable with my stomach as one might think.”

 

“See!  _ Someone _ understands me!” Dorian laughed.

 

“What would you need an assassin for, Isabela?” Alistair asked.

 

“If there is a storm anywhere near Seheron I don’t want to risk washing up on shore unprepared, and I’ve seen how good this one is with a blade.”

 

“If that’s the case, I would gladly accompany you.” Fenris responded.

 

“What? Really?”

 

“Yes, really. Why is that surprising?”

 

“After all this time, why would you want to go back to Tevinter now?”

 

Fenris was silent for a moment, staring blankly at the table before he replied simply;

 

“I have searched everywhere I can think of for Hawke, and still I can find no trace of him. Tevinter is the only place I have yet to look.”

 

“I see. If that’s the case you’re welcome to join me, just keep in mind I won’t be there very long.”

 

“But we will. If you have need of it, Dorian and I will help you.” Adelin piped up.

 

“Many thanks. Now that I am assured the chance later, I would like to ask you what you know of Hawke, if you do not mind.”

 

Adelin’s eyes softened at the earnest concern he saw hidden beneath dark eyebrows.

 

“Of course.”

 

“Well, with that settled- how about we swap war stories and get a little tipsy?” Alistair, surprisingly, led in.

 

“Our king the drunkard, ladies and gentleman.” Zevran teased.

 

“Oh, for Maker’s- Just come help me carry the drinks.” Alistair grumbled as he dragged the assassin away. 

 

Isabela and Fenris decided that the best way to begin a long night of socializing was by starting up old stories of how one, or the other, or Varric or some of their other friends had made fools of themselves- Dorian’s personal favorite thus far was the time that a girl named Merrill had apparently become so smitten with Fenris that she went out of her way to make him pretty little trinkets out of flowers, and how it had apparently gotten to the point where Fenris walked outside his house one day and was almost eaten by a giant flower with teeth.

 

“How on earth did she manage that?!” Adelin had exclaimed with mirth in his eyes.

 

“She’s a mage, Maker only knows how that works.”

 

“...” The entire room seemed to drop into dead silence.

 

“...I have offended you, I see. Forgive me, just… I was once slave to a magister. He branded me with Lyrium tattoos in order to make me a “Lyrium Ghost”-” He turned his palm upwards so that the lines there became clearly visible, and allowed them to flash once before continuing; “-a particularly valuable type of warrior. You will have to forgive my bias against most things magical. In my life there are precious few things magic has touched that it has not spoiled.”

 

“...I see. I can relate to that, somewhat. But I can’t say that I hate all magic and mages outright, possibly because I am one.” Dorian replied, then added, feeling a bit more open with someone who he felt would truly understand. “My father once tried to change me with blood magic. I left home, and I never turned back. This will be my first visit home since then.”

 

“What will he say when he hears of your arrival, I wonder?”

 

“Oh, he’s quite dead, I’m afraid. My mother also died, apparently protecting his lousy arse from a dagger. I’d give the world to see them again, but… no, it’s better this way. Some minds simply cannot be swayed.” He turned to Adelin during the last bit and added “He likely would have had you killed on sight, or at least chained and sold as some sort of magical oddity.”

 

“The more I hear about your father the less I like him.” The ginger responded.

 

“Good thing you won’t need to go through the whole ‘meeting the parents’ bit.” Dorian half-joked, trying to lighten the mood.

 

“And on that cheery note- BEER!” Isabela yelled as she grabbed a tankard that Zevran was balancing on the lips of two other large tankards that he held in his hands.

 

“What did we miss?” Alistair asked as he sat, all smiles and just a bit of naivety that seemed out of place on someone who obviously had a world of experience in many things.

 

“Oh, nothing major. Giant flowers attempting to swallow our beloved broody elf whole, the fact that most Magisters are complete and utter dicks, you know- the usual. But unfortunately I am far too sober to continue with this merry band of misfits for much longer, so if you don’t mind-” Isabela downed her tankard, stole Adelin’s, drank that one as well, then went back up to the bar for more in the span of just a few seconds it seemed.

 

“What a woman!” Zevran said just loud enough that it carried across the bar to where said woman was waiting for her next drink with a wink in the elf’s direction.

 

“You know, I think I have to agree with her. Cheers!” Dorian smiled- not his real smile, but somewhere between his real smile and the one he put on when he was sad. Adelin let their pinkies slide together until they each had a finger curled around the other, and smiled softly to himself when some of the weariness washed off the other’s face.

 

He glanced up and made note of the fact that Fenris was giving him a watery, knowing smirk, and made sure to return the look in turn. If there was one thing that anyone could recognize that these two elves had in common- it was the fact that they both had vast, immeasurable amounts of love for the men closest to them, and no one with eyes would ever say otherwise. Even Zevran kept his flirting almost exclusively aimed at Izzie, save for the occasional remark towards Alistair.

 

The night moved on, Adelin nursing the same tankard for the duration of the evening, while everyone else downed between two and five, not including Fenris and Isabela, who had decided to challenge each other to a drinking contest until one of them passed out or admitted defeat.

 

The tavern closed its doors before the two could see the end of their little wager, but if the way the elf was leaning so heavily between Alistair and Adelin was any indicator, Adelin would have put his money on Isabela- though she was leaning on Zevran to the point that the two stumbled into a dark alley, and did not emerge.

 

Dorian had gone to check on them and run back out yelling “ABORT, ABORT!” As if someone had lit his breeches on fire.

 

Fenris was barely lucid by the time they were far enough away that they couldn’t hear the sounds of sex, but he did say that he had been rooming with Zevran and had absolutely  _ no _ desire  _ at all _ to return to that room at any point tonight.

 

Knowing Isabela, she wouldn’t be back until morning, and so Adelin made the executive decision to put Fenris is the ship’s medical bay until morning, seeing as how that was the only other room on the ship that had actual beds besides Isabela’s.

 

Once on board, Alistair politely took his leave and thanked them for the opportunity to meet under less… Tense circumstances.

 

“I understand why you sided with them, you know. I just… needed to be there for the people. Not that mages aren’t people, but I know that there is always there to take their side, and they need to know that someone is looking out for them as well sometimes.” He had told Adelin earlier in the evening. The elf didn’t understand why he couldn’t choose to simply be there for everyone, but made no comment.

 

Between them Dorian and Adelin managed to carry both Fenris and his ridiculously massive sword into a bed (not the sword in a bed, they put it on the floor under Fenris’s cot) and then went back to bed themselves.

 

Now that Adelin was feeling so much better, they were not going to waste an opportunity to be in a solid bed with no worry of Isabela asking to join in…


	14. Two Elves Are Better Than One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adelin and Fenris share information and decide upon the most likely location for Hawke to be found in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do I make Fenris sound too proper in this fic? I think I do a little. What do you guys think?

Fenris stalked into the light of morning with a deeper scowl than usual painting his lips- most likely a side effect of the hangover he was nursing.

 

He stumbled to the back of the ship, watching with a soft sigh as they slipped away from port. People moved about behind him back and forth, and for a moment there was a dark skinned elf that jabbered at him until he growled at her, but for the most part he just stood there, watching the ship’s wake.

 

When at last he decided that he should go looking for The Inquisi- for Adelin, he was… surprised to suddenly find said elf face to face with him.

 

“Fasta vas!” He cried and jumped back, markings flashing in fright.

 

“Hahaha! Dorian says the same thing when I do that.” The ginger grinned down at the scowling man before he deftly sliced himself free, spinning like a cat to land firmly on both feet.

 

“You are fortunate that I have become accustomed to such surprises from Hawke, else you may not have a heart within your chest at the moment.” Fenris half-snarled in annoyance, more at the fact that he had been startled than to put any kind of bite into his words. He was different now. He was… slightly less likely to lash out before thinking than he once had been.

 

“What do you mean by that?” Adelin cocked his head to the side.

 

“Did Varric not tell you about me?”

 

“Hawke told me often how much he loved and missed you, but no. I’m afraid I usually had War Table Meetings when the two regaled stories of past fights.” Adelin replied with a wistful look in his eyes.

 

Fenris swallowed- no matter how many times he heard it, the fact that Hawke openly spoke of how dear he was to him never failed to bring… something very conflicted to his heart, but it felt like love and hurt and happiness all bundled up into the same bitter pill.

 

“I see. Well, in that case, I shall have to show you at some point- it’s much easier to explain once you’ve seen it. Now, before we are further sidetracked, would you perchance have a few moments to help me gather more information?”

 

Adelin’s features sobered and he nodded. “Meet me in Isabela’s rooms in fifteen minutes- I’ll gather Revas, Dorian and anyone else who may be able to help you in your search.”

 

“You have my thanks.” The two nodded, then turned on their heels and headed to accomplish their respective tasks.

 

~~~~~

 

Isabela’s vast quarters held far more than just a bed- though you’d be hard pressed to see around the giant fluffy spread of silken sheets and fine craftsmanship.

 

Just to the right of the bay of floor-to-ceiling windows, Isabela had a large table strew with maps- mostly nautical but with more than enough maps of the rest of the world to suit their needs.

 

Gathered around the table were Fenris, Dorian, an elf he was introduced to as Revas, Isabela, and another crewmember named Scales.

 

Scales pointed to a small town marked on the map- the closest town to the place marked ‘Weisshaupt’.

 

“This is where ‘m from. I know the outside of Weisshaupt better’n most’a them Wardens do.” He drawled.

 

“The last time I saw Hawke” Adelin began; “he was going there with the Grey Wardens that survived Adamant Fortress. All news stopped coming out of Weisshaupt soon after that, and my people were unable to gather any further information on the area-”

 

“They’re all dead.” Scales snarled out, leaning away from the table and crossing his thick arms over his barrel-like chest. “Whatever happened- it made it all the way to my town. I sent letters home, and no one responds. Messengers won’t go out that far. Ravens that I have trained to return to me if they don’t find someone to take the message from me just disappear. Everyone is dead.”

 

“But how? And why?” Dorian asked.

 

“Maybe they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe they saw something they shouldn’t have?” Revas wondered, hands braced on the table as she peered down.

 

“Can’t see the fortress from ‘the town. Gotta go through ‘the old timbers in the deep woods‘n get to the top of this hill here” he tapped the map “to even see the top of the spires where those griffons use’ta sleep.”

 

“Could it be The Blight?” she asked again. Fenris waited in silence, collecting all the information he could before he added his own knowledge.

 

“Place was hit hard way back when, but ‘s always made due. Small town, but small enough and strong enough to take care’a itself.”

 

“Alright, we know we can’t rule out darkspawn- has there been Venatori activity that far north?” Dorian asked Adelin.

 

“Leliana could give you the best information on that, but last I heard there was only a small group of non-violent escaped Tevinter slaves living in the woods nearby. It’s not far from Tevinter itself, however- it’s possible Weisshaupt was victim to some form of seige, and the town was simply slaughtered so that news of the attack would not spread.”

 

“That would make sense, given what I know from this journal-” Fenris spoke at last, pulling a battered journal with the sigil of the Wardens stamped on it and dropping it on the table. The pages were water-stained, several of them ripped out, but most of the ink was legible.

 

“It is a journal from a Warden who survived Adamant. It claims that Hawke did indeed travel with them to Weisshaupt, but the last entry is troubling.” he began, turning the book and pushing it towards the center of the table for all to read. “It claims that they were being followed- they don’t point a finger in any specific direction, but I suspect that it may be this ‘non-violent’ group of escaped slaves you speak of. It is not uncommon for loyal slaves to be sent out by their masters to seek out other escaped slaves and lead slavers to them so that they may be returned to their owners- however it is also not uncommon for groups of Tevinter slaves or mercenaries to pose as escaped slaves and leach off of communities for various reasons.”

 

“So you think that these ‘slaves’ were just waiting for Hawke and the wardens to show up?” Adelin asked.

 

“I think they were at least sent there to gather information on the Wardens if they were able. Hawke just so happened to be wandering through… If they took him somehow, it would explain him disappearing without a trace.”

 

“They may also have killed him along with the village and the wardens. The amount of gore on these pages is not promising.” Dorian remarked as he flipped to the back of the book, most of which had become soaked in blood and left the pages stuck firmly together.

 

“I sincerely doubt that a group of people that small would be able to overwhelm both the Grey Wardens and the Champion of Kirkwall, Dorian.” Isabela snorted.

 

“They wouldn’t have had to. If they had captured even one of the Wardens, Hawke would have willingly dropped his daggers. Or perhaps it was the reverse- if they captured Hawke, the Wardens would have dropped their weapons and that would make them easy prey for even inexperienced mercenaries.” Fenris dug his sharp gauntlets into the table.

 

“Alright, let’s assume that they decided to take Hawke- that would mean he’s in Tevinter somewhere, yes?” Dorian asked.

 

“That is what I have come to believe.”

 

“Then perhaps the best way for you to learn more about what happened to him would be for you to stay for an extended period of time in Tevinter?”

 

“What do you have in mind, mage?”

 

“Dorian-” Adelin warned, just in case Fenris snapped at him when he heard whatever Dorian’s idea was.

 

“What if you posed as a slave for House Pavus?”

 

“I refuse to be subjugated again.” He growled, low and calm, fingers ghosting completely through the table to clench at his sides.

 

“I said no such thing.” Dorian continued, moving out of Adelin’s protective reach and walking around the table to look the elf in the eye. It wasn’t hard, seeing as the two were practically the same height.

 

Green peered deeply into grey for any hint of dishonesty as Dorian resumed his speech; “You need to be able to move freely through Tevinter without fear of being captured for sale once more, yes? Wear the crest of my family, they will not question it. You need a ticket into the homes of nobles so that you can investigate further? Were you to pose as a bodyguard or a favored servant to Adelin or I, no one would suspect anything out of the ordinary.”

 

“I beg to differ.” Fenris scoffed, tossing a look at Adelin. “They will not accept him as one of their own, they will think him nothing more than a decorated whore upon your sleeve, and I will not be put into such a light again.”

 

“But-”

 

“I SAID NO.” Fenris flashed brightly- all teeth and talons slowly backing towards the door before he did something stupid.

 

Isabela walked toward the elf slowly, eyes wide and arms splayed palm-up towards him. She pulled him into a brief hug, but it was all he needed to calm down. It had been so long since anyone had given him such kindness. He missed his friends so badly it hurt, often times. Varric, all smooth spiels and fatherly hands-on-the-shoulder when Fenris poured his heart out over a few too many drinks, that blood mage’s easy smile and innocence- there was no way Fenris could ever look past the fact that she well and truly was an abomination, but still. He would pick the flowers she used to give him and weave into chains for the escaped children he would help. He had missed his banter with Isabela, but he missed Hawke most of all.

 

Hawke, who had, and would continue to, let the spikes of his armor cut into his very human flesh if it meant keeping the elf safe after passing out in a fight, who smoothed out his rough edges until he had wormed his way into Fenris’s heart and cut away all the brambles that had built up over the years. Hawke, who had waited. Hawke, who was probably lying dead somewhere, or was being held somewhere dark and horrible. Either way, he was still waiting on Fenris to find him. That meant there was no time for weak moments such as this anger-fueled one.

 

He slowly relaxed and Isabela went back to her spot between the she-elf and her other crewman.

  
“...alright.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well my lovelies we are nearly halfway through that project ‘eh you know probably somewhere around thirty’ chapters thing and I’ll be honest this is the longest thing I will have ever written as of next chapter, so hurray for that! Thank you all for the kudos, I really appreciate it.
> 
> Another slow scene-change chapter. I think in my outline it was going to be cut up into two chapters and something horrible was going to go wrong again and you know as much as I love torturing my characters I think I need to let you all have some happy memories before I completely rip everything apart as I plan to do in the last ten chapters or so.
> 
> Yes you read that correctly.
> 
> I swear the story has a happy ending but y’all are also going to hate me for a very long time because around the time I finish the first cliffhanger of that arc in the story I’ll be starting college and probably run out of time to write.
> 
> Whoops.
> 
> Okay hope you're enjoying the story! And thank you to everyone who has kudos'd this fic! It means so much! <3


	15. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting off the boat and heading to a friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry for the lack of updates, and thank you to everyone who is sticking around to see how this story turns out! I've got a bit of a writing bug in my system so in addition to finishing this chapter last night I'll probably also finish one or two more by the end of the week that I'll be posting.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> EDIT: So I may have just now looked at a map and realized how far away Minrathos is from Quarinas (which is where House Pavus is) and so rather than writing about what would probably be two weeks of travel by land I just made them reach port in Quarinas instead.

Dorian tried to conceal it, but everyone on this ship could see the excitement in his eyes as the port of Quarinas came into view. Fenris stared at the towers as if seeing them for the first time- a mix of conflicting emotions flitting across both men’s faces. They stood side by side at the bow of the ship, wordlessly. 

 

In those moments, they were not mage and warrior, human and elf, slave or Altus. They were two men trying to follow their hearts.

 

Adelin and Isabela joined their friends, Isabela beside Fenris and Adelin beside Dorian. Still not speaking, but with watery smiles in the direction of their friends, the two Tevinters returned to their homeland once more.

 

~~~~~ 

 

Adelin, Revas, and Fenris, all wearing deep hoods with their heads low, disembarked first. Dorian walked ahead of all of them, and they each say their goodbyes to Isabela quietly, sliding into the crowded docks with ease.

 

“Maevaris should be waiting for us just over here- Varric sent word ahead that we were coming.” Dorian told them, the three elves nodding as they followed the human through the beautiful city. Or at least, they assumed it was beautiful. They hardly dared to look up, especially Adelin and Fenris, for fear of being discovered and whisked off to the slave sales.

 

It didn’t seem as though they need worry too much, however. Once they were clear of the docks, it was easy to tell the slaves from the Soporati from the Altus. The ones that were wearing their weight in jewels were often accompanied by a slave- scurrying closely behind their master but with heads held high in mock-pride. Eyes dull like beads in the dirt. The Soporati were a bit harder to tell, but if you knew what you were looking for the difference was plain as day. The Soporati were slightly dirtier- not in the sense that they hadn’t bathed, simply that they didn’t have all the charms and wards that the mages did to keep the road dust off of their clothes. A few of the Soporati wore jewelry, but for the most part they were plainly dressed and each one walked with purpose, if not pride.

 

Fenris had seemed to curl up into himself once they had stepped off the boat. The elf moved swiftly but kept his head down, following Dorian’s footsteps, but not the way the true slaves were. Even as old memories flooded back and brought a foul taste to his mouth the elf still rebelled- we walked ever so slightly to Dorian’s left. Old habits die hard he supposed, though he snarled at himself for even this much weakness in his head.

 

Finally they arrived.The estate was massive- bigger than anything Adelin could have ever imagined, and far larger than the estate Danarius had once controlled. The front had two large, ornate marble staircases that the group quickly climbed. Dorian knocked on the imposing reddish-colored wood carved with scenes of Dwarven design, the doors apparently charmed to open for them as there was no one to open them.

 

As soon as they were inside their destination than a beautiful blonde woman practically tackled Dorian into a hug.

 

“Dorian! It’s good to see you!” The woman said, holding him at arms length and giving him a once over before she turned to the cloaked elves behind him.

 

“It’s good to see you too Mae. How have you been?”

 

“I’ve been well, but you and I have many things to discuss. Perhaps we should go to my study?”

 

“Yes, of course. You’ll have to lead the way, you know I always get lost in this castle of yours.” He teased, motioning for his friends to continue following him up yet another ornate stairway- this one decorated again with Dwarven designs.

 

Maevaris smacked him on the shoulder and smiled, ushering them all down a few more hall ways and through another set of doors. 

 

Once the Magister sealed the doors behind them, she finally acknowledged the three elves.

 

“So sorry for my rudeness, but you have to be careful- even in your own home. Now then, you may remove your hoods if you like, you’ve nothing to fear here. My name is Maevaris Tilani, and it’s a pleasure to meet you all.” She finished with a flourish similar to the one Dorian had used when he first met Adelin.

 

The ginger elf stepped forward.

 

“It is an honor to meet you as well Maevaris, and we cannot thank you enough for your hospitality.”

 

“The pleasure is mine.” She smiled, then turned to look at Fenris and Revas with a questioning look.

 

“I was told that only two elves would be accompanying you. So which of you is the surprise?”

 

Fenris stepped forward and dropped his hood in the same motion.

 

“Ah, Fenris. I remember you. You were a project of Danarius, were you not?”

 

“I was. But he is now dead. And I will thank you kindly not to speak his name again.”

 

“Well good, that’s one less corrupt and foul Magister for me to deal with. He will most definitely still have loyal followers here in Tevinter though. And they will recognise you immediately.” She turned to look at Dorian and Adelin once more, “What in the world have you two gotten wrapped up in? I thought Dorian was only here to settle his parents dealings?”

 

“Fenris is looking for the Champion of Kirkwall, and what information we have seems to point that he is being held somewhere within Tevinter.”

 

“The Champion? You mean Hawke is here? Why?” 

 

And so Dorian began the long explanation of the plan, how it had already become so complicated, who Fenris was- at which point Maevaris became overjoyed to meet another friend of Varric’s- and finally concluding with a slightly embarrassed introduction of Revas, who had been so patiently waiting for the two Tevinters to finish.

 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, miss.” The dark elf bowed.

 

“And you as well- please forgive my rudeness, I have a terrible habit of getting side tracked.”

 

“It’s no trouble miss- Our dear Inquisitor is equally prone to bouts of wool-gathering.” Revas teased.

 

“I am not!”

 

“I’m afraid you are, Amatus.”

 

“Lies and slander- My mind is like a steel trap. Nothing escapes me.” He said as Revas snuck up behind him and pulled his hood all the way back over his face, despite his height.

 

Everyone was laughing now- even Fenris was chuckling to himself. Adelin emerged from his hood red-faced and flustered, but eventually joined in once Dorian took his hand.

 

When the laughter died down Maevaris brought them all to an area filled with plush chairs and pillows, multiple books scattered here and there as if someone had been reading them and then suddenly had other business to attend to. A tray of snacks and tea were in the middle of the area, and everyone seated themselves comfortably around it.

 

Dorian and their hostess began the slow process of catching up with each other, until the questions of how their journey faired came up. Then all hell broke loose as Adelin, Dorian and Revas each tried to tell their own version of the story at the same time. Fenris sat back and listened, only half-believing the words coming from Dorian and Revas. Adelin seemed to be attempting to downplay some of the heroics he apparently took part in, which of course gained him much respect from the white-haired elf, but between the downplaying and the exaggeration it was hard to find the truth in the middle.

 

Finally the moon rose up and one of Maevaris’ servants appeared to lead Revas and Fenris to where they would be staying for the evening before they ventured out to the Pavus estate the following day.

 

Maevaris led Dorian and Adelin off to one of the seemingly hundreds of rooms within her massive house, letting them get settled in the guest room closest to her own chambers.

 

Dorian and Adelin cuddled close together that night, exhaustion overriding everything else after their long journey. And this was only the beginning. Tomorrow, they had all manner of tasks to attend to.


	16. Homecoming Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a filler chapter about getting to and moving into House Pavus- pretty boring but needed to happen.

Dorian, Adelin and Fenris awoke the next morning to find that Revas was already gone. Apparently she had gone ahead to ensure that their luggage had made it safely from the ship back to the Pavus estate.

 

They moved slowly through their day- Dorian was in little rush to return to a home that had never truly felt like home. Especially now that the ghosts of his parents would be meandering the halls with him.

 

Adelin and Fenris gave the man his space, all too familiar with the feeling of losing the people you love- and the fallout that comes after.

 

It was around noon when Dorian gave Mae her final hug, and the three set off on horseback to the Pavus estate.

 

Fenris brooded in the rear, as was becoming the norm (and possibly always had been the norm) for the temperamental elf, while Dorian and Adelin chatted idly.

 

“Dorian, remind me again why we couldn’t have brought our own horses with us?” The redhead griped.

 

“Amatus, that was your decision. You were the one who wanted to get here as quickly as possible. Besides, we won’t be here long enough to justify subjecting those poor animals to all that time at sea.”

 

“You do make several fair points, which makes it hard to argue with you.”

 

“Is this arguing? It feels more like we’re simply talking in circles.”

 

“Speaking of circles, haven’t we passed that tree before? Are you reading that map correctly? I swear we have.”

 

“I’m not using a map. House Pavus should be just ahead. I know the way to my own home Amatus.”

 

“So that wasn’t the same tree?”

 

“I sincerely doubt it- unless the tree is one of those nymphs that follows you about.”

 

“Tree nymphs aren't real Dorian.”

 

“If legend is to be believed there were at one point. However those same legends claim-”

 

“Is that it?” Fenris at last chimed in, pointing to the sprawling manor at the end of the path below them.

 

“It’s beautiful, even from here. Though it does seem to be in a bit of disarray.” Adelin noted the numerous patches over overgrown flora and cracks in several of the red bricks of the gate.

 

“Which is exactly why I need to be here.” Dorian said, looking forlornly at the building for a moment.

 

Adelin was about to ask what was on his mind, but his lover had apparently decided he’d had enough talking for once- spurring his horse on until dust flew from beneath its hooves, trusting that his companions would follow suit.

 

~~~~~

 

As the doors opened into the grand household a flurry of servants of all different race and gender greeted Dorian, a chorus of “Welcome home Master Pavus” and many curtsies and bows followed in the wake of the young magician- who continued on as if this were all completely normal.

 

Maker, Adelin hoped that  _ this _ level of subordination wasn’t normal- this sort of behavior made him extremely uncomfortable, even when it wasn’t directed at him.

 

Revas was once again nowhere to be found, but Dorian’s servants quickly informed their master that all of their belongings had arrived and their rooms had been readied. As per request, neither Adelin nor Fenris had rooms in the slaves quarters and instead would be sharing the suite across the hall from Dorian’s private chambers in the guest halls.

 

Dorian nodded and dismissed the room with a wave of his hand, never once stopping or slowing down. A strong-looking human came forward offering to take their weapons. Fenris snarled at him when he reached for the longsword on the elf’s back, making his answer quite clear.

 

Not knowing what else to do, Adelin and Fenris followed Dorian through the grand halls and lavish innards of the house until they came to what seemed to be a private study.

 

It looked as though whomever this room belonged to had never left. In fact it looked very similar to the little nest Dorian had made for himself back at Skyhold- one of the many chairs in the room sat by the window overlooking a courtyard, books laid open on every available surface, candles strewn about the room so that one could read even at night…

 

This was the only time since walking into the house that Dorian’s shoulders relaxed. He breathed in the must of the books, walking to a shelf and dragging his fingers along the spines of some of his favorite tomes. He lit the scented candle that he kept on his desk with a pinch of his fingers to the wick, settling himself in the chair behind his old desk. Despite his absence, not a speck of dust coated any one surface in the room.

 

Shortly after he took his seat, a heavyset woman with a motherly feel about her trundled into the room and silently set down a sheaf of papers before the younger Magister. 

 

“Will you be needing anything else, ser?”

 

“Not at the moment, but thank you.”

 

She curtsied and left without another peep.

 

“...Dorian?”

 

The human startled from where he had been reaching for the top of the stack of papers, seemingly having forgotten about Adelin and Fenris as he marched through his house.

 

“Sorry, what was that?”

 

Adelin didn’t know what to say, really. He had never seen Dorian act like that before. Sure he could often be spoiled and pompous, but he had barely even treated those people like… well, people. It troubled him.

 

The awkward silence continued to stretch until Fenris cleared his throat “I think I might go and ask someone if they’d be willing to give me a tour.”

 

“Yes, of course. That might be wise. Adelin, perhaps you should join him?”

 

“I-” Adelin didn’t even get to finish his thought before the motherly woman came back in and took both he and Fenris by the elbow, having apparently been listening in on their conversation.

 

“This way, dearies. I’d be ‘appy to give you a tour. My name is Ms. Cotta, but you’re more than welcome to call me Terra. Master Pavus, if you need anything just give a ring! Shouldn’t be too long showing your guests about.” She tittered as she whisked them away.

 

Dorian and Adelin locked eyes all the way up until Ms. Cotta dragged him around the corner.

 

With a sigh and a hand coming up to tweak his moustache out of nervous habit, Dorian brushed off the feeling growing in his gut and picked up the first letter that had been dropped on his desk.

 

_ To the Master of House Pavus… _

 

~~~~~

 

“‘Shouldn’t be too long’ my arse.” Fenris half-growled as he and Adelin finally made it to what Ms. Cotta had informed them would be their room for the remainder of their stay. Fenris made his way through the suite until he found one of the two smaller rooms that held beds, dropping his spiked armor and his sword onto one side of the king-sized mattress there.

 

Adelin gave a noncommittal grunt in response, dropping everything that had been weighing him down after their day of wandering hallways and viewing courtyards. 

 

“You know before today I thought Skyhold was large.” The redhead joked as he finally freed himself of his chestplate and let it fall in the chair next to his own bed across the hall from Fenris’s room.

 

Fenris chuckled, having heard Varric’s writings of the grand fortress “Do you think we missed dinner somehow? I’m famished.”

 

“I would imagine food will be prepared whenever Dorian decides that he’s ready to eat.”

 

“And when might that be?”

 

“Only the Maker knows. Should we try and find him to ask?”

 

Fenris’s stomach gave a loud growl, bringing laughter to both of them for a brief moment- and ultimately making the decision for them. Without much extra thought the two then headed back in the direction of their host.

 

~~~~~

 

_ “Fasta vas! No, I refuse to allow this. My father may have made you a promise, but I hold the power of House Pavus now and I will commit to no such nonsense. This conversation is over, do not attempt to contact me on the matter again.” _ The two overheard as they finally found the door that the Magister was behind.

 

Fenris slipped inside to find Dorian speaking to a mirror, a very disgruntled old man sat in its reflection. When the door open Dorian turned to look, allowing the mirror to catch a glimpse of the two new arrivals before Dorian apparently ended whatever flow of magic sustained it.

 

“Everything alright?” 

 

“It will be, my love.” Dorian replied with a sigh, still obviously irritated. “That was the father of the woman my father attempted to have me marry before I fled to Thedas. You needn’t trouble yourself- I’ve made myself quite clear and I don’t expect him to contact me again.” Dorian replied, still obviously seething as he paced towards his desk. Then towards the doorway. Then back to his desk once more.

 

Finally he sat down to pick up another piece of parchment when finally he thought to look up at the two elves standing in the middle of the room.

 

“What?”

 

“Did you forget to eat again my love?”

 

“No I asked Nick to bring me-  _ oh. _ ”

 

Finally realizing his mistake Dorian dropped the parchment and came back around his desk so that he could apologize.

 

“I’m so sorry- my mind gets away from me when I’m in here too long. Especially with how much work is to be done. Can I make it up to you? Both of you?”

 

“You could perhaps find us something to eat- the kitchen was conveniently left out of our tour.” Fenris said as he crossed his arms over his unarmored chest.

 

Dorian and Adelin were both quiet for a moment before Fenris muttered; “Apologies, Hawke is much better at making jokes than I.” And finally an awkward sort of chuckle arose from the trio.

 

Somehow they ended up sitting in the study drinking wine and eating bread and cheese. Dorian had gone back to reading his papers and Adelin sat in a chair that allowed him to look at his lover without his starring being detected.

 

Although it was fairly easy for Adelin to go unnoticed at this point- Dorian had his nose buried in three different tomes as he tried to find something for the letter before him.

 

Fenris had wandered back off to bed some time ago, having had his fill.

 

Adelin slowly munched at the last piece of bread, continuing to watch the foreign acts of the man who acted so differently in this strange land. He wasn’t doing anything Adelin hadn’t seen him do before- twirling his moustache, running his fingers over script as he read to keep his place, jotting down notes with whichever hand was available- even the familiar smudge of ink that sometimes appeared on his cheek just next to his moustache from where he had gotten ink on his fingers and then tweaked the facial hair. But it was as if Adelin was seeing all of this for the first time- and there was something undeniably…  _ off _ about every move Dorian made.

 

Time passed and the moon hung high when Adelin at last brought himself to leave the other man. He thought about attempting to say goodnight, but the other was so engrossed in his work that Adelin decided against it.

 

He berated himself as he walked back to his room.

 

_ Of course Dorian is busy, he’s taking over an entire household. You would have faced the same thing if you’d taken over Clan Lavellan- _ His mind still stumbled over the thought of his slaughtered clan- _ He’s got so many things to put in order, there’s the whole matter of him becoming a Magister and any changes he wanted to have made… If he weren’t busy then something would obviously be wrong.  _

 

_ Eventually he’ll get caught up. He needs to be on top of everything. _ Adelin assured himself as he pulled off his boots and crawled beneath his covers.

 

He’d just have to find some ways to entertain himself until Dorian wasn’t so busy.


End file.
